Top-ranked tennis player Novak Djokovic has launched a legal challenge to the Australian government’s decision to cancel his visa, saying he contracted COVID-19 last month and thus qualified for a medical exemption to the country’s vaccination requirements.
The Serbian star’s legal team filed a 35-page document on January 8 stating his case that the decision should be reversed, potentially freeing him up to defend his Australian Open title later this month.
The challenge, which includes a certified document showing Djokovic tested positive for the coronavirus on December 16 and was free of symptoms by December 30, is expected to be heard in an Australian court on January 10.
The filing also shows Djokovic said he received a letter from Tennis Australia’s chief medical officer stating he had a medical exemption from vaccination as a result of him contracting COVID-19.
Djokovic’s case continues to cause controversy ahead of the new year’s first Grand Slam tennis event, as news emerged that the visa of Czech women’s doubles specialist Renata Voracova was also canceled despite her having received a vaccination exemption from Tennis Australia.
The country’s government has released a letter showing it wrote the tennis organizing body in November saying that prior infection with COVID-19 was not necessarily grounds for exemption in Australia.
Voracova, like Djokovic, has been placed in detention at a Melbourne immigration center. Australian officials have said Djokovic is free to leave — just not to enter Australian territory as a federal court prepares for his hearing.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has said that in addition to Voracova and Djokovic, another vaccination exemption granted in connection with the Australian Open is being investigated.
The Australian Open is scheduled to begin on January 17.
Djokovic has been an outspoken critic of vaccination against COVID-19 and initially received an exemption from local Australian officials despite tight restrictions on foreigners’ entry amid a spike in infections.
Tennis Australia says his exception “was granted following a rigorous review process.”
After his arrival at Melbourne airport, the Australian Border Force on January 5 rejected his exemption as invalid, canceled his visa, and moved him to the immigration center.
