He walked out of the Melbourne airport on January 6 in detention. Ten days later, he will be checking out “under detention” after being deported. During his ten days Down Under, the Serbian tennis icon witnessed his visa being cancelled twice; a favourable verdict in court and his second plea being dismissed – all for not adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
Though the latest drama was rooted in Australia’s zero tolerance policy on anti-COVID measures; Djokovic of late has been in news more for his stand of the highly-infectious virus that for the sport he graces as an icon.
The trouble germinated with his refusal to take vaccine; intensified with him testing positive and going out in public hiding his infection. Here is a timeline of events which led to his deportation from Melbourne.
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December 16: RT-PCR results confirmed that Djokovic was COVID-19 positive. He confessed this in an affidavit in the Australian Federal Court.
December 17: A day after getting the COVID-19 positive report, he attended a charity event in Belgrade without wearing a mask. His defence: The RT-PCR report had not come and his rapid antigen report was negative.
December 18: He did a photoshoot and interview with L’Equipe newspaper.
December 22: He received a negative RT-PCR report.
December 30: Tennis Australia confirmed a temporary medical exemption from the vaccine requirements on the grounds of previous infection.
January 1: His declaration to enter Australia stated that he had not travelled in the 14 days prior to his scheduled January 4 departure from Spain to Australia. He later confessed that he had travelled between Serbia and Spain.
January 2: Djokovic received a border travel permit by the Victoria State.
January 4: He announced in social media that he will be in Melbourne to defend his Australian Open title.
January 5: Djokovic reached Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport at night.
January 6: Australia’s Border Force detained him in a room at the airport overnight. He was informed about the plans to cancel his visa and send him back.
January 7: He was held at the Orthodox Christmas Hotel as a court agreed to hear his appeal to revoke visa.
January 10: Court freed him from detention, visa revoked amidst protest from various groups. The court observed that his visa was cancelled on the unreasonable grounds.
Australian Immigration Minister Alexander Hawke said he would weigh the use of personal powers to deport the World No 1, who the same day practiced at the Rod Laver Arena.
January 12: Djokovic apologisedin social media for the mistake on the form and for leaving quarantine to do a photoshoot with L’Equipe.
January 13: Djokovic was included in the Australian Open draw as top seed.
January 14: Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used discretionary powers and cancelled Djokovic’s visa.
January 15: Djokovic returned to the immigration detention hotel where he was previously held.
January 16: A Federal Court three-judge panel dismissed an appeal by Djokovic seeking to overturn the visa cancellation in a unanimous, final ruling. Djokovic was not able to appeal the decision and was set to be deported.
Agencies
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