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He can’t stay after all: Novak Djokovic’s visa annulled
Immigration minister doesn’t want Novak Djokovic in Australia. Is this the end of the Serbian tennis star?
©Brandon Malone/AFP
Australia has canceled Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic’s visa for a second time.
Australian Immigration Secretary Alex Hawke has used his personal right to revoke the visa for unvaccinated tennis pro Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is also threatened with a three-year visa ban, Hawke said on Friday. It was initially unclear whether Djokovic would appeal against Friday’s decision and possibly still be able to take part in the Australian Open.
Djokovic’s visa was first canceled on January 6 shortly after his arrival in Melbourne. According to the authorities, he would not have provided the proof of vaccination against the corona virus required for entry. He was then accommodated in a migration accommodation. Last Monday, a court ruled in favor of the tennis pro.
The case sparked displeasure among Australians. They had long lived under lockdown and social distancing unprecedented in the world. In the Djokovic case, politicians saw a diversionary maneuver by the current government, which wanted to use it to cover up failures in its own corona policy.
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