By Tony O’Reilly-
Tennis ace, Novak Djokovic, is to be given a visa by the Australian government, allowing him to play the 2023 Australian Open.
The Serbian who was deported just before the commencement of the 2022 edition started, after his visa was cancelled following the row over his immigration status and the controversy surrounding his controversy about his vaccination, will be overjoyed at the news.
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The decision is a clear mark of the transition from Scott Morrison, whose government used its powers to bar the Serbian from the tournament this year. Djokavic was also prohibited from taking part in the U.S opens last August, despite multiple please for him to be exempt from the mandatory requirement for all entrants to the U.S to have to be vaccinated.
Djokovic had won an initial case in the federal circuit court allowing him to participate in the tournament, before the then immigration minister, Alex Hawke, decided to cancel the visa on the basis Djokovic’s presence in Australia might risk “civil unrest” due to his anti-vaccination sentiment. He subsequently lost a second federal court case, resulting in his deportation just days before he was to contest the tournament, seeking his 10th Australian Open crown in search of a record 21st grand slam title.
Djokavic was also prohibited from taking part in the U.S opens last August, despite multiple please for him to be exempt from the mandatory requirement for all entrants to the U.S to have to be vaccinated.
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Australia has now overturned its requirement for visitors to be vaccinated.
Only yesterday, Djokovic told reporters after winning his opening match at the ATP Finals in Turin that he had heard “nothing official yet” from the Australian government.
“We are waiting,” he said. “They are communicating with the government of Australia. That’s all I can tell you for now.”
Earlier on Tuesday the director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley, expressed optimism that the Serbian tennis star would be allowed into Australia to compete.
“There’s a normal visa application process that everyone is going through right now, and everyone will go through the right timing,” Tiley said.
The decision to overturn the ban and allow Djokavic into Australia shows the stringent entry requirement rules to some countries based on vaccination status to be dependent on who is in power.
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