Novak Djokovic wins appeal against deportation from Australia | world News

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Novak Djokovic has won an appeal against deportation from Australia, with a judge ordering his release from hotel quarantine within 30 minutes.

Border officials previously ruled that the tennis star did not meet the criteria for an exemption from the requirement to fully vaccinate all non-Australians against COVID.

Djokovic spent four nights in an immigration detention hotel in Melbourne before the hearing began at around 10 a.m. local time.

Photo: Djokovic fans celebrate outside Melbourne Stadium

Judge Anthony Kelly noted that Djokovic had provided officials with medical relief from the Australian Tennis Club and two medical commissions.

“The point that somewhat infuriated me was what more could this guy do?” Mr. Kelly asked Djokovic’s lawyer, Nick Wood.

However, this may not be the end of the row.

Photo: The media surrounded a van leaving the Park Hotel, where the player was staying

Sky reporter Nicole Johnston, outside the quarantine hotel, said the case was set to go back to the Minister of Immigration and the Department of Home Affairs to decide whether to reinstate the visa.

“The court basically found that there was a failure of due process – and that it was not fair – so we are now waiting to hear from the federal government,” Johnston said.

For now, the Serbian star will get his belongings and passport back while his team awaits the government’s response.

Djokovic’s case sparked a political row after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “rules are rules” and any passenger was responsible for complying with border regulations.

Mr. Morrison was accused of using the case to improve his popularity ahead of the election.

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0:36 Djokovic’s father talks about the rally

Djokovic’s lawyers have claimed he should have been allowed in because he “recently contracted the COVID virus in December 2021 and…was entitled to medical exemption as per Australian government rules”.

They submitted papers that showed he tested positive last month and recovered.

They showed that the 34-year-old had received a letter from Tennis Australia’s chief medical officer on December 30 stating that he had been granted an exemption for these reasons.

It said Djokovic’s first positive test was on December 16 and, on the date of release, “has not had a fever or respiratory symptoms in the past 72 hours.”

exposed photos

Pictures have surfaced in the past few days of the world number one – without a mask – with young players the day after he was said to have tested positive.

It is not clear if Djokovic was aware of his test results at the time.

On the day he tested positive – December 16 – he was also presented with a postage stamp from the Serbian Postal Service in Belgrade, an event he tweeted about the following day.

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1:37 Oz PM on Djokovic: ‘No special cases’

In the following tweet, on January 4, he said he “had a great quality time with loved ones after a break” and was now on his way “Down Under with a waiver”.

The Djokovic case has conflicting opinions, especially in Australia where he has won the tournament nine times.

Having narrowly lost one of the grand slams on the calendar for four major titles in 2021, he will likely be eager to try to take the lead over Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as the winner of the most grand slam titles.

But the past few days have made it difficult, with his lawyers saying he has been sleep-deprived and has come under pressure from Australian officials to revoke his visa.

He is also said to have been temporarily unable to access the gluten-free meals and exercise equipment he ordered.

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