Novak Djokovic has been arrested in Australia ahead of a trial that will determine whether an unvaccinated tennis star can stay in the country.
The Serbian sportsman is facing deportation after his visa was revoked for the second time, with the government calling the 34-year-old man a threat to public health.
Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.
Djokovic is set to play in the Australian Open on Monday in Melbourne.
If he wins the tournament, he could become the most successful men’s tennis player in the history of the 21-year-old.
But Sunday’s trial, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. local time (22:30 GMT Saturday), is crucial if Djokovic will be able to compete a few hours later.
If he fails to be compensated, a male tennis player will be deported and banned from visas for three years.
On Saturday, shortly after the online hearing was heard, Djokovic’s lawyers confirmed he would spend the night detained in an undisclosed location in Melbourne.
In that case, Justice David O’Callaghan set a date for the trial on Sunday but said it would still be decided by a single judge or a three-judge panel.
Court documents were released later on Saturday indicating that Immigration Minister Alex Hawke had chosen to cancel Djokovic’s visa because – in his view – the presence of the unprotected player could escalate opposition to the Covid-19 vaccination.
“[I see] that his presence could be detrimental to the health of Australian society,” he wrote in a letter to Djokovic and his lawyers, adding that he believed it could lead to “civil unrest” because he was “human.” of influence and status “.
Djokovic’s visa was revoked shortly after his arrival in Melbourne on January 6, after Australian Border Force officials said he had “failed to provide proper proof” to secure a vaccine.
The tennis star was detained for several days at a foreign hotel, before his visa was reinstated by a judge, who ordered his release and ruled that border officials had ignored the proper procedure when he arrived.
But on Friday evening, Mr Hawke again canceled Djokovic’s visa under separate powers in the Australian Immigration Act.
This action allows him to expel anyone he considers to be a threat to the “health, safety or well-being of Australian society”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision follows “careful consideration”.
Commenting on the strong criticism his government has for allowing an unarmed player to enter Australia, Mr Morrison said: “Australians are very self-sacrificing in this time of violence, and rightly expect that the consequences of those sacrifices are protected.”
Many people we spoke to were upset that the uninvited player had been allowed here in the first place.
Some have very different opinions. Of course, this is a mess, they say, but the government overturning the independent judge’s decision is also highly questionable.
Clearly, this is not just a sport. It’s the headlines and the main topic of conversation.
And the background is important, too, as Australia fights Covid-19.
Many people are beaten after months of living under strict limits. Sick wards are overcrowded, daily deaths have reached recorded levels, and some may say you have less chance of getting a Covid test kit at the pharmacy than Djokovic will play on Monday.
Given the seriousness of the Omicron wave, there is another common feeling: this pulled-out saga has become a hindrance to the most important issues.
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Djokovic’s legal team said their appeal would focus on the “unconstitutional” assumption of Mr. Hawke’s decision, which attorney Nick Wood said was based on the threat of “exciting anti-vax sentiments”.
Mr Wood said he believed the sacking of the Serbian player could do the same.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, on the other hand, has criticized the Australian prime minister’s decision, telling Djokovic on Instagram a message: “Novak, I stand by you.”
“If you wanted to prevent Novak Djokovic from winning the 10th title in Melbourne why didn’t you bring him back immediately, why didn’t you tell him it was ‘impossible to get a visa’?” Mr. Vucic added.
Spanish tennis star Rafael, one of Djokovic’s biggest rivals, said on Saturday: “[The Australian Open] is more important than any other player. If he plays in the final, that’s fine. If he doesn’t play, the Australian Open will be much better … or without him. “
Japanese actress Naomi Osaka described the controversy surrounding Djokovic as “unfortunate”.
“He’s a great player and it’s sad that some people might remember him [him] in this way. But I also think … it’s in government how Australia decides to handle him,” he said.