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Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic on Sunday lost a final legal bid against his deportation from Australia, after a marathon saga which has overshadowed the imminent Australian Open.
A panel of three judges in Federal Court ruled unanimously on Sunday in favor of the Australian government, which had canceled Djokovic’s visa on public health grounds.
The Serbian star is now out of the Australian Open, a tournament which he has won nine times.
In a statement, Djokovic said he was “extremely disappointed” with the outcome of the hearing. “I will co-operate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country,” he added.
During the hearing, Djokovic’s lawyers had argued that the Australian government’s reasoning for canceling his visa was “illogical and invalid.”
Djokovic, who has not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and claimed a medical exemption to enter Australia, was first detained by authorities on arrival in Melbourne on January 6. He won a first court appeal on January 10 against deportation and was released from government detention. But Australia’s immigration minister, Alex Hawke, then used his personal power Friday to re-order Djokovic’s expulsion from the country.
While Australia experiences a record surge in coronavirus cases, the Djokovic dilemma consumed the government, which was paralyzed for days deciding what to do about the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, begins Monday in Melbourne.
Source: Politico
