Australian Authorities Decide To Lift Entry Ban For Star Tennis Player Djokovic - Reports

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th September, 2022) Australian authorities have decided to scrap the three-year entry ban for Serbian star tennis player Novak Djokovic as next year's Australian Open tournament draws closer, Herald Sun reported on Sunday.

The athlete was barred from entering Australia after a COVID-19 controversy in early January, when he was stripped of his visa by then-Immigration Minister Alex Hawke and left the country as he was not vaccinated.

Australia formed a new government in May 2022, with Andrew Giles taking Hawke's post. Senior government sources told the newspaper that although the new immigration minister did not sign any documents lifting the entry ban for Djokovic, the decision has been taken "in principle."

Visitors traveling to Australia are also no longer required to show a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of vaccination.

Unvaccinated Djokovic arrived in Australia on January 5 to participate in the Australia Open tennis tournament. On January 6, he was detained and put into a migration isolation ward after the Australian authorities canceled his visa. Djokovic was accused of skirting COVID-19 rules, as his vaccination exemption was already invalid. His legal team swiftly appealed the decision.

Four days later, the tennis player was released from the isolation ward by a court order. On January 10, Djokovic's visa was reinstated by the Federal district court in Melbourne, but on Friday, Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke personally revoked the player's visa, forcing Djokovic to skip the tournament and leave the country.

Djokovic's vaccination status also prevented him from taking part in the 2022 US Open tennis championships.

The 2023 Australian Open is set to take place on January 16-29.