Novak Djokovic’s visa has been restored by an Australian judge after it was revoked following his arrival last week due to his lack of vaccinations.
On Monday, Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly ordered the government to free Djokovic from his Melbourne hotel quarantine within 30 minutes of his judgment.
After the verdict, government counsel Christopher Tran informed the judge that Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs Minister Alex Hawke “would examine whether to use a personal power of cancellation.”
Djokovic might risk deportation once more, causing him to miss the Australian Open, which begins on January 17.
Djokovic’s visa was revoked by the Australian government shortly after he landed in Melbourne late Wednesday to compete in the Australian Open because officials determined he didn’t fulfill the threshold for an exemption from the requirement that all non-citizens be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Djokovic, who according to court records is unvaccinated, maintained that he did not require proof of vaccination because he had indications of coronavirus infection last month.
People who have been infected with COVID-19 within the last six months are eligible for a temporary exemption from the vaccine requirement, according to Australian medical officials.
Djokovic had handed officials at Melbourne’s airport a medical exemption granted by Tennis Australia, which is organizing the event that begins on Jan. 17, as well as two medical panels, according to Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly.
“The issue that has me agitated is what else could this man have done?” Nick Wood, Djokovic’s lawyer, was questioned by Kelly.
Djokovic could not have done much more, Wood agreed with the judge.
Djokovic’s affidavit and transcripts of his interview with Border Force officials revealed a “repeated appeal to the officers with whom he was dealing that to his understanding, uncontradicted, he had done absolutely everything that he understood was required in order for him to enter Australia,” according to Wood.
Since his visa was revoked on Thursday, Djokovic has been held in hotel quarantine in Melbourne.
During his court appearance, however, the judge ordered that the world No. 1 tennis player be removed from hotel quarantine. During Djokovic’s hearing, it was unclear where he went. During the first few hours of the virtual hearing, he did not appear on screen.
Djokovic’s attorneys filed 11 reasons for appeal against the revocation of his visa. The cancellation was called “extremely illogical,” “irrational,” and “legally unacceptable” by the attorneys.
In their brief, lawyers for Home Affairs Minister Karen Andres stated that if the judge rules in Djokovic’s favor, officials may cancel his visa for a second time.
They stated that incoming tourists with a COVID-19 infection might only be exempt from the vaccine requirement if their disease was severe.
The written statement stated, “There is no hint that the applicant (Djokovic) suffered ‘acute significant medical condition’ in December” when he tested positive.
Because of the large number of individuals trying to witness the proceedings from all around the world, the virtual hearing collapsed many times.
According to The New Daily News website, an expired court connection was supposedly hacked and streamed pornography at one time.
Djokovic has won the Australian Open nine times. He shares the men’s record of 20 Grand Slam singles championships with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.