Prior to the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic’s immigration suspension was reversed.

 

 

 

 

After the Australian government lifted a visa suspension, Novak Djokovic now has a free path to compete in the Australian Open.

The Serbian tennis player was imprisoned in January as a result of his refusal to receive the Covid vaccine.

Ten days later, despite establishing a successful legal defence, he was deported from the nation.

The nation had some of the harshest pandemic restrictions in the world, earning it the nickname “Fortress Australia” at times.

Covid cases were on the rise when Djokovic landed in Australia in January, and government regulations demanded that everyone entering the country be immunised unless they had a legitimate medical exemption.

According to BBC News, he did not meet the requirements for entry, the government said, so his visa was cancelled and he was automatically banned from entering the country for three years.

Djokovic was taken to a notorious immigration detention hotel, where he remained as he challenged the decision in court.

The court later overturned the decision to cancel his visa, but then-Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used special discretionary powers to cancel it again, arguing it was “in the public interest” to do so.

In court documents, Mr Hawke said Djokovic was “perceived by some as a talisman of a community of anti-vaccine sentiment” and his presences in the could lead to “civil unrest”.

Many in Australia cheered the decision but it also sparked an uproar among supporters who gathered outside his hotel, as well as in Serbia

But Immigration Minister Andrew Giles – whose government came to power in May – has overturned the ban and is set to grant Mr Djokovic a visa, the BBC has confirmed.

Speaking speaking earlier Tuesday, Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley said he was confident that Djokovic would play in next year’s Open.

 

“I know Novak wants to come and play and to get back to competing,” he told the Australian Associated Press.

 

“He loves Australia and it’s where he’s had the best success.”

 

The tennis champion earlier this year told the BBC he flew into Australia believing he had obtained the medical exemptions required.

 

But he was detained and questioned by border officials in Melbourne on 5 January, and his visa was cancelled in the early hours of the following morning.