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Live updates: Novak Djokovic visa and Australian Open 2022 By <a href="/profiles/jessie-yeung">Jessie Yeung</a> and Adam Renton, CNN 14-18 minutes _____ Hear Djokovic's Serbian fans react to his Covid-19 scandal 2:59 Novak Djokovic's Australian visa revoked again By Jessie Yeung <https://edition.cnn.com/profiles/jessie-yeung> and Adam Renton, CNN Updated 3:22 a.m. ET, January 14, 2022 10 min ago A look back at how we arrived at this point >From CNN's Helen Regan and Ivana Kottasová Novak Djokovic practices aMargaret Court Arena on Thursday. (Mark Baker/AP) Novak Djokovic arrived in Melbourne on January 5 and promptly had his visa canceled for entering Australia without a valid reason why he couldn't be vaccinated against Covid-19. He spent several nights in a detention hotel in Melbourne, which also houses dozens of refugees. His lawyers challenged the decision and won the legal battle on Monday, but since then questions have emerged over Djokovic's behavior after testing positive for Covid-19 on December 16. In a statement published to social media <https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/11/tennis/novak-djokovic-covid-statement-intl-hnk/index.html> on Wednesday, Djokovic acknowledged he did not immediately isolate after receiving a positive diagnosis — but denied knowing he had the virus when attending several public events. He also apologized for false information on his Australia visa declaration, specifically that he hadn't traveled in the 14 days before his arrival in the country. Photos taken during that period appear to show him in both Spain and Serbia. Djokovic said a member of his support staff submitted the information and the omission had been "human error." In the statement, Djokovic also admitted doing an interview and photo shoot with a French sports newspaper while Covid positive, which he conceded was an "error of judgment." Serbia reaction: Before Friday's decision, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said he was "proud" to help the tennis star during the visa dispute but acknowledged it was "necessary that people are vaccinated." He also appeared to indirectly address Djokovic's admission that he did not immediately isolate after testing positive for Covid-19 in December. "If you know you are infected, you shouldn't be going out in public," Vučić said in an interview with public broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia (RTS). Meanwhile, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić told the BBC it would be "a clear breach of rules" if Djokovic was at a public event after knowing he had tested positive. Read more: 20 min ago Immigration lawyer: Here's why Minister Hawke may have revoked Djokovic's visa Justin Quill, an immigration lawyer in Melbourne, told CNN he wasn't surprised by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's decision to revoke Djokovic's visa — but "there's not enough detail in the statement ... for us to properly understand the grounds." What "public interest" means: In his statement, Hawke said he had canceled Djokovic's visa "in the public interest." This could mean a variety of things, Quill said. It could mean the government wants to send a message to the Australian public about the importance of vaccinations. It could be to show the wider global community about how seriously Australia takes its vaccination requirement for all international arrivals. Or it could mean Djokovic poses a physical risk because he could become infected and pass on the virus. These are just a few guesses, and there could be many more reasons. Ultimately, only Hawke and Djokovic's team know for sure. "There will be a document, an actual decision canceling his visa, that document will be more detailed," Quill said. "That explanation will be something that will have been given Djokovic's team ... That would be what he and his lawyers will be poring over right now, and preparing to take this to federal circuit court again." What Djokovic's team might do: The tennis player needs to show an arguable case and file for a temporary injunction, but it's hard to predict what the details of that case might be without having Hawke's full explanation, Quill said. If he does file for an injunction and receive it, it might allow Djokovic to train for and play in the Australian Open, he added. 37 min ago Djokovic visa decision comes as Australia battles Covid outbreak People queue at a walk-in Covid-19 testing site in Melbourne on January 5. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image/AP) Novak Djokovic's immigration case has been closely watched across Australia, with people divided — and many upset at his release from detention on Monday. A small but vocal group of anti-vaxxers see Djokovic as a hero who took on the state — and won. But for many Australians, the problem boiled down to whether Djokovic considered himself above the country's pandemic <https://www.cnn.com/specials/world/coronavirus-outbreak-intl-hnk> rules at a time when Covid-19 case numbers are soaring. <https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/01/australia/australia-starts-2022-record-covid-cases-intl-hnk/index.html> The state of Victoria, of which Australian Open host city Melbourne is the capital, reported a record number of coronavirus hospitalizations on Friday — just three days before the tennis tournament begins. The state reported more then 34,000 new Covid-19 infections and 18 deaths, with 976 hospitalizations, according to the state's deputy premier James Merlino. New South Wales also reported 29 Covid-19 deaths on Friday — a record for Australia's most populous state. NSW authorities said they expect pressure on the health care system to continue for at least a few more weeks before cases plateau. Border closures and lockdowns: For millions of Australians, memories of uncompromising border closures and other pandemic restrictions remain fresh — making Djokovic's case particularly controversial. Australia was one of the first countries to close international borders in March 2020. For almost two years, tens of thousands of citizens were prevented from coming home <https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/australians-stuck-abroad-covid/index.html> . State borders also periodically closed and reopened <https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/12/australia/australia-domestic-travel-omicron-intl-hnk/index.html> , preventing families from seeing each other without a government-approved reason. Some now question why special privileges are extended to athletes who travel the world when others only recently struggled to cross a state border to see a loved one. 38 min ago Djokovic could appeal the visa decision again — but would face a tough battle, lawyers say Novak Djokovic practiced at Melbourne Park on Friday before his visa was canceled for a second time. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) Novak Djokovic's Australia visa was today canceled for a second time — throwing his participation in the Australian Open into question once more and potentially sparking another legal standoff. Here's what this means and what could happen next, according to legal experts. Could Djokovic appeal again? Yes — the tennis star could request a temporary injunction from the judge, said Justin Quill, a partner with an Australian law firm in Melbourne. During that extra time, he could stay in the country and appeal the decision. But "you can't just appeal because you want to appeal," Quill added — Djokovic would have to show the judge he has valid grounds to protest the decision. Can Djokovic play in the tournament during legal proceedings? It's not clear yet — the Australian Open starts Monday, with Djokovic drawn against fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in a first round match that now seems in doubt. What options does Djokovic have? Maria Jockel, an immigration law specialist at BDO Australia, told CNN Djokovic's lawyers now have 28 days to make representations to the immigration minister, who could then choose to reinstate the visa. During that time, Djokovic might be placed in detention again — unless the minister grants him a bridging visa <https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/bridging-visa-e-050-051> , which could allow him to play in the Open while waiting for the decision or making arrangements to leave Australia, Jockel said. Djokovic's lawyers could also go to court — but they would face a difficult legal battle, especially given his admission earlier this week that false information was included on his travel declaration, Jockel said. The declaration stated he had not traveled in the 14 days prior to arriving in Melbourne — but photos taken during that period appear to show him in both Spain and Serbia. In a statement on Wednesday, Djokovic called it a "human error." 1 hr 5 min ago READ: The immigration minister's full statement on revoking Djokovic's visa Novak Djokovic of Serbia attends a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 14, 2022. (Martin Keep/AFP/Getty Images) Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said in a statement Friday he would use his personal power to revoke Novak Djokovic's visa for a second time. Read the full statement: "Today I exercised my power under section 133C(3) of the Migration Act 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. "This decision followed orders by the Federal Circuit and Family Court on 10 January 2022, quashing a prior cancellation decision on procedural fairness grounds. "In making this decision, I carefully considered information provided to me by the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force and Mr Djokovic. "The Morrison Government is firmly committed to protecting Australia’s borders, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. "I thank the officers of the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force who work every day to serve Australia’s interests in increasingly challenging operational environments." The immigration minister has broad powers to cancel visas — and if the visa is successfully revoked, barring an appeal, Djokovic could be banned from Australia for up to three years. 1 hr 15 min ago Australian immigration minister says he canceled Djokovic's visa "in the public interest" Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke canceled Novak Djokovic’s visa again. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image/AP) Australia’s Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke has canceled Novak Djokovic's visa, he confirmed in a statement Friday. “Today I exercised my power under section 133C(3) of the Migration Act 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 statement from Hawke said. “This decision followed orders by the Federal Circuit and Family Court on 10 January 2022, quashing a prior cancellation decision on procedural fairness grounds. In making this decision, I carefully considered information provided to me by the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force and Mr Djokovic,” it continued. Hawke went on to reiterate the Australian government’s firm commitment to protecting borders, “particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Section 133C(3) of the Migration Act grants the Immigration Minister personal powers under which they can cancel visas. The grounds under which a visa may be canceled are laid out in section 116 of the Migration Act. Section 116(1)(e) of the act states that visa cancellation can occur if “the Minister is satisfied that it would be in the public interest to cancel the visa.” 1 hr 24 min ago BREAKING: Djokovic's visa has been revoked again Novak Djokovic's Australian visa has been revoked for a second time, all but ending the ambitions of the world's No.1 men's tennis player to contest the Australian Open and win a record 21st grand slam. It is unclear whether Australia will move to deport the Serbian star as the decision can still be challenged by his legal team. 1 hr 22 min ago Key things to know about the Djokovic visa row Though Novak Djokovic's visa was reinstated on Monday and he was released from detention, Australia's Immigration Minister Alex Hawke could still revoke his visa again and begin deportation proceedings. As he awaits a decision on whether he can remain in Australia, Djokovic on Thursday was drawn against fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the Australian Open. Why Djokovic was detained: All international arrivals to Australia are required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 — which Djokovic is not — unless they have a medical exemption. The government argued he didn't have a valid exemption to the requirement. Djokovic said he was under the impression he could enter because tournament organizers had granted him a medical exemption on the grounds he had been infected with Covid-19 in December, his visa had been approved ahead of arrival, and he had been cleared for quarantine-free travel. Why the judge ruled in his favor: The government hadn't given Djokovic enough advance notice about the cancellation of his visa or time to prepare materials in his defense, the judge said. After his arrival, Djokovic was told he would have a few hours to prepare — but the government decided to cancel his visa before the deadline they had given. When: Djokovic tested positive in mid-December and recovered enough to receive a medical exemption from Tennis Australia on Dec. 30, according to court documents. He arrived in Australia on Jan. 5 and was promptly placed in detention. He was released on Monday, Jan. 10. The tournament runs from Jan. 17-30. What happens now?: Australia's immigration minister could still revoke Djokovic's visa again and begin deportation proceedings. But it is unclear when such a decision could come. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison batted away a question from a reporter about Novak Djokovic's visa status at a news conference in Canberra on Thursday. Morrison was asked why a decision hadn't been made yet on whether the Australian government would revoke Djokovic's reinstated visa. "I refer to Mr. Hawke's most recent statement and that position hasn't changed," he said, referring to the immigration minister, who could still decide to deport Djokovic. "These are personal ministerial powers able to be administered by Minister Hawke, and I don't propose to make any further comment at this time." 1 hr 40 min ago Novak Djokovic drawn against Miomir Kecmanovic at Australian Open It’s over 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles) from Belgrade to Melbourne. Novak Djokovic’s journey to the Australian Open has been certainly quite something. And in Thursday’s draw for the Australian Open, he discovered he will be up against fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic. Djokovic, looking to win his 10th Australian Open title in Melbourne this month, is waiting for Australia's immigration minister Alex Hawke to decide whether to revoke his reinstated visa ahead of the tournament. But what about the tournament's other players? * Rafael Nadal, <http://www.cnn.com/2022/01/09/tennis/rafael-nadal-melbourne-tennis-spt-intl/index.html> who is tied with Djokovic and Roger Federer on 20 grand slam singles titles, is seeded sixth and scheduled to face American Marcos Giron in the first round. * No. 2 seed Daniiel Medvedev, last year's US Open champion, faces Henri Laaksonen in the first round, while No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev faces fellow German Daniel Altmaier. * In the women's singles draw, there is a potential fourth-round matchup between world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty <http://www.cnn.com/2021/07/10/tennis/ashleigh-barty-karolina-pliskova-wimbledon-final-spt-intl/index.html> and defending champion Naomi Osaka. <http://www.cnn.com/2022/01/04/tennis/naomi-osaka-alize-cornet-melbourne-win-intl-spt/index.html> * Osaka, seeded 13th, will begin her title defense against Camila Osorio, while Barty's first-round opponent will be a qualifier. * Other grand slam champions in this year's draw include Iga Swiatek, Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep. Emma Raducanu <http://www.cnn.com/2021/12/20/tennis/raducanu-bbc-sports-personality-of-the-year-spti-intl/index.html> and Sloane Stephens, <http://www.cnn.com/2021/09/05/tennis/sloane-stephens-us-open-abuse-spt-intl/index.html> US Open winners from 2021 and 2017 respectively, have been drawn against each other in the first round. Read the full story: -- http:www.antic.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SERBIAN NEWS NETWORK" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/senet/010b01d80921%2489ab5f30%249d021d90%24%40gmail.com.
