Novak Djokovic’s fight to remain in Australia returns to court today as the world number one remains holed up in immigration detention.
His lawyers filed an appeal after his Visa was cancelled when he arrived in Melbourne last week.
Despite Djokovic securing a medical exemption to come to Australia to play in this months Australian Open tournament, Border Force officials said there wasn’t enough evidence to satisfy the entry requirements when he arrived.
It’s understood his exemption was granted on the grounds that he had contracted Covid-19 three weeks ago.
Related article: No vax Djokovic visa denial unfair: lawyer
The matter’s now turned into a game of finger-pointing between the federal government, Victorian government and Tennis Australia.
Tennis Australia was understood to be assisting unvaccinated players through the medical exemption process to come to Australia for the tournament.
CEO Craig Tiley has this morning told Nine that he doesn’t want to blame anyone, but says he’s been frustrated by conflicting advice from the state and federal governments.
“Every single week we were talking to home affairs, we were talking to all parts of government to ensure that one; we were doing the right thing, and we were on the right process with one of these exemptions, but knowing also that everyone coming in had to be vaccinated and we were at that point.
“So the conflicting information and the contradictory information that you receive is because of the changing environment,” Mr Tiley said.
