Australia cancels Novax's Visa and intends to deport him...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-59991762
The men's tennis number one was scheduled to play in the Australian Open, which begins on Monday.
"Today I exercised my power... to cancel the visa held by Mr Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so," the minister said in a statement.
The move also means Djokovic likely faces a three-year ban on obtaining a new Australian visa.
Official review by hawke(ye) says out…
Oh happy day. 🙂
Are the courts closed at the weekend to prevent a challenge?
If he appeals can he still play?
The genuine definition of a tennis bye.
I don't see they had a choice really, once the visa lies came out. Whether it was him or his agent who filled it in wrong, he's responsible in the end and I'd find it highly unlikely his agent didn't know he'd been traveling and outside his declaration conditions.
To ignore it would create an issue for everyone else who's been deported previously, or who turns up with false declarations in future who could justifiably ask why they are being treated differently.
The correct decision. To let him play would have set a very dangerous precedent. Their house, their rules.
Hopefully the time they've taken to do this means they're watertight legally.
Whether he wins or not, he's totally discredited to all but the most diehard fans. He'll have to learn to deal with playing in front of hostile crowds for the rest of his career
Off to destination f***ed as Ozzy man would say. Ta ta.
Glad they had the guts to do it, hope it sticks.
Right decision. the initial ban was not overturned on fact but on procedure. to allow him to play would make a mockery of Australia's very strong rules on this. Had to be done
He’ll have to learn to deal with playing in front of hostile crowds for the rest of his career
One small mercy for him is that he's unlikely to face those crowds in Australia unless he stays in the game for more than another 3 years. Likely he won't be eligible for another visa until then.
I too am hoping the law courts are closed for the weekend and there's a seat in economy booked on today's flight.... He can argue legal later if he really wants.
The icing of course would be if Serbia pull him in for a word as he arrives home about that lack of isolating....
No chance of that - he’s a god there.
Second return of Serb.
Second return of Serb.
Match point being made?
One small mercy for him is that he’s unlikely to face those crowds in Australia unless he stays in the game for more than another 3 years
That truly is the icing on the cake.
in the end and I’d find it highly unlikely his TRAVEL agent didn’t know he’d been traveling and outside his declaration conditions
ftfy. That exemption was dodgier than a dodgy thing that had fallen out of the dodgems in dodgeville
Should be a busy day for the Australian press. I imagine his defense team were prepared for this and have already worked out what to do. The government side will already be expecting an appeal which may be why it took so long.
what can the appeal possibly be?
- Don't you know who I am?
- If you cancel my visa Serbian Australian's are going to burn the place down?
With his admission that his visa wasn't filled in correctly was he handing the Australian authorities an easy way of booting him out as he didn't fancy facing the boos, but that he'd still get to play the "woe is me" card? Or is he arrogant enough to think that folk would still support him?
Either way I'm glad he's (hopefully) going home as it stops giving the antivax lot ammunition.
Final set…
Tiebreak
Out.
Great news, but I'm also hoping that when he does get home he's going to be getting in to a lot of trouble with his own government for breaking their rules as well.
Always harder for a role model as they are in the spotlight so much more than the average joe public - which means they have to be extra careful and be very clean to show the best example - this has just shown that fame and fortune just bring arrogance and the thinking that you are untouchable.
Now...if we can only get our own house in order...
I’m surprised they stated he’s been cancelled due to presenting a health risk to the country. I think that could probably be argued against given he is highly unlikely to end up in hospital, nor is vaccination more likely to prevent transmission especially as he claims to already have been infected twice
Couldn’t they cancel it on basis his visa was full of errors? Surely that can’t be disputed at this stage?
Or maybe just say ‘sorry you aren’t getting in, you are a cxxx.’ Which also can’t be disputed at this stage
presenting a health risk to the country
Possibly they view that his anti-vax nonsense would encourage more Australians to refuse vaccination?
The government side will already be expecting an appeal which may be why it took so long.
I'd assume the timing was so that an appeal would be too late and he'd have to default his first round match.
I’m surprised they stated he’s been cancelled due to presenting a health risk to the country.
Very much this.
There are a lot of reasons his visa should he been cancelled (tbf, it's an own goal as he should never have had one in the first place as the recent covid was only for Aussie nationals returning for urgent reasons as I recall, and not for foreign nationals no matter how rich and arrogant). I would have thought the main reason for booting him was that to not do so was seriously detrimental to upholding their current border regs - why not just say that?
edit...
Possibly they view that his anti-vax nonsense would encourage more Australians to refuse vaccination?
Actually that makes a lot of sense and sort of ties up with my last point - he is a health risk by being a poster boy for the stupid. In the way that Boris and his number 10 pals are now poster people for those who will never again follow the letter of future lockdown regs in this country.
I’m surprised they stated he’s been cancelled due to presenting a health risk to the country. I think that could probably be argued against given he is highly unlikely
One clear risk is if they let him in with his somewhat sketchy exemption then it would encourage others to take the same approach. Showing zero tolerance would make it less likely anyone else tries the same trick.
Still potential for appeal… though unlikely to succeed. Government wil ddddddrrrrrrraaaaaaaggggggg their feet.
I can't imagine what appeal could succeed...unless the decision can be shown to be discriminatory in some way (IMHO letting him in would be discriminatory....allowing rules to be flouted because of who he is).
There's always the chance that they can show procedural errors I guess (again)
what can the appeal possibly be?
‘You can NOT be SERIOUS?!’
presenting a health risk to the country
Of course he is a health risk. He either:
1. lied about about having covid, is unvaccinated and therefore is a covid risk
or,
2.if he didn't lie, he was quite happy to be out and about when he should have been isolating. Either way, that presents a risk
He also made a 'mistake' on his visa form. He is not reliable or honest and that presents a risk.
One thing I was thinking - the rest of his team (Goran Ivanišević etc) all got in no bother. So you have to assume they are all vaccinated. So he is not surrounded by a plethora of anti vaxxers. How frustrated must they all be with him! Tennis player's teams are often on win bonus in their pay structure - behind the scenes they must be grumbling to each other that if the daft ****er could just have the jab they'd be getting on with their day job rather than trekking around the globe without a big pay day.
I’m surprised they stated he’s been cancelled due to presenting a health risk to the country.
They didn't cancel it on health grounds; the statement said
"Today I exercised my power... to cancel the visa held by Mr Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so," Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said in a statement.
and as per before, if they allowed him in despite (highly suspicious, TBH) discrepancies / mistakes on his declaration anyone before or after who is denied entry for the same reason can justifiably shout foul (or FAULT! if preferred)
they can't let him off without creating a good order issue, hence that's enough. Health is only part.
I was wondering if the Aussie authorities had been spending the week trying to gather evidence that his covid test was fraudulent - as seems likely - perhaps in advance of the otherwise inevitable appeal. If they had managed to get evidence, it would be a slam-dunk - "**** off without any drama and we won't release this other incriminating stuff."
I see he’s started the appeals process. Struggling to see what possible justification he has other than try to delay things long enough to compete.
He really is an odious, spoilt little rat of a man. He should be thrown back in the detention centre until it’s been resolved rather than let him practice, such as would happen to any normal person
Will the Serb government rally around him this time though? Suspect his family and those on his gravy train will, but will they be so OTT with their chats?
If he wasn't one grand slam away from the outright record would he have already done the sensible thing and walked away. It's not a great look for him right now
Listening to the court case now....
I don't really understand it but it ND's lawyers are saying that the minister has accepted that he's medically allowed to stay but the fact that he's in the country is likely to excite the anti-vaxers - which is dangerous.
ND's lawyers also want him to not be detained at the hotel (because of the short period of time he would be there ..... just saturday evening/night) but I think the Gov lawyers are saying that he should.
Great news, but I’m also hoping that when he does get home he’s going to be getting in to a lot of trouble with his own government for breaking their rules as well.
One of their senior bods ( prime minister or president - can't remember which) said publicly that he has apparently committed a crime in Serbia by not isolating - a crime for which other serbians have gone to jail ( but fines more likely)
You’d like to think that after 3 days the reasons for kicking out would be absolutely watertight
Hadn’t it already been established he’s presented wrong info on his visa? Surely that invalidates it regardless of his vaccination status
The lack of humility and shame on display is truely eye watering it has to be said!
His mate Nigel will be enraged to see a nation taking back control of its borders.
I’m surprised they stated he’s been cancelled due to presenting a health risk to the country. I think that could probably be argued against given he is highly unlikely to end up in hospital, nor is vaccination more likely to prevent transmission especially as he claims to already have been infected twice
Couldn’t they cancel it on basis his visa was full of errors? Surely that can’t be disputed at this stage?
Or maybe just say ‘sorry you aren’t getting in, you are a cxxx.’ Which also can’t be disputed at this stage
Given his somewhat lax attitude to social distancing back in Serbia when he knew he was positive, I think it's fair to say he actually does pose an infection risk to others. He doesn't moderate or change his behaviour or interactions with others when he knows he's a carrier. You have to factor that into any decisions IMO.
Hearing his case in spite of the errors in his original application is a bit of a mixed bag: On the one hand it shows Aus' as being "fair" and willing to consider all aspects of a given case. But on the other hand most people without Djokovic's money and fame would have been promptly turned around on arrival, getting as far as he did perhaps highlights a bit of privileged treatment for the wealthy in the Australian immigration system...
Perhaps more generally, Anti-vaxxers (globally) need to learn that while any 'reasonable' objections to Covid rules will be listened to and considered, they can't expect special treatment or exemptions. And perhaps cynical missuse of "medical exemptions" should be treated more harshly (IMO)...
My understanding is the immigration minister has "godlike" powers here and can bar anyone for any reason so I really do not see what good this court challenge will do.
