Novak Djokovic landed in Melbourne on Wednesday (January 5) in the course of a political maelstrom over his medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination necessities, with a visa blunder including to the world primary’s issues forward of the Australian Open.
Djokovic touched down at Tullamarine airport at about 11:30 p.m. native time, however was awaiting permission to enter the nation after it emerged that his crew had utilized for a visa that doesn’t enable for medical exemptions.
That prompted the native authorities of Victoria, the state the place the Open is performed, to say it could not help Djokovic’s software, placing his destiny within the palms of the federal authorities and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Morrison has confronted an unlimited backlash over his authorities’s resolution to grant Djokovic a medical exemption from vaccination to play on the Open, the place the participant could be bidding for a document twenty first main title.
Australia, particularly the state of Victoria, has endured the world’s longest cumulative lockdown and an outbreak of the Omicron variant has despatched case numbers to document ranges.
Following the backlash, Morrison instructed Djokovic’s participation was not a finished deal and he must fulfill the federal authorities, which has accountability for worldwide borders and visas and was not a part of the exemption course of.
Morrison mentioned shortly earlier than Djokovic’s arrival that there could be “no particular guidelines” for him on his exemption.
“If that proof is inadequate, then he gained’t be handled any totally different to anybody else and he’ll be on the subsequent aircraft residence,” Morrison instructed a media convention earlier.
Djokovic got here in on an Emirates flight however when border officers contacted the Victorian authorities to ask if the state would formally help the world primary’s visa, it mentioned it wouldn’t.
“The Federal Authorities has requested if we’ll help Novak Djokovic’s visa software to enter Australia,” Victoria’s appearing Sports activities Minister Jaala Pulford mentioned.
“We won’t be offering Novak Djokovic with particular person visa software help to take part within the 2022 Australian Open Grand Slam.
“We’ve at all times been clear on two factors: visa approvals are a matter for the Federal Authorities, and medical exemptions are a matter for medical doctors.”
It was not clear whether or not the federal authorities would enable his entry. The Border Pressure couldn’t be reached for remark.
Tennis Australia and authorities officers moved rapidly to emphasize that Djokovic, who has mentioned he’s against COVID-19 vaccinations, had acquired no preferential therapy.
Djokovic, who has gained 9 titles at Melbourne Park together with the final three, confirmed on Tuesday that had acquired a vaccination exemption to permit him to play on the Australian Open, which begins on Jan. 17.