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Novak Djokovic has won a court battle to stay in Australia to contest the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19, but the government has threatened to cancel his visa for a second time.
As he delivered his verdict at 6.16 a.m. GMT, Judge Anthony Kelly quashed the visa cancellation, ordered the Australian government to pay legal costs, and released Djokovic from detention within half an hour.
The court was informed by government counsel Christopher Tran that the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services, and Multicultural Affairs – not the minister who originally canceled Djokovic’s visa – will now consider whether to exercise a personal power of cancellation of Djokovic’s visa.
A transcript of Djokovic’s interview with Border Force last week was released shortly after the verdict, in which the world number one declared, “I am not vaccinated.”
The Australian Open begins on Monday, January 17th, with the draw on Thursday, January 13th.
During the hearing, Djokovic was taken from custody to be with his lawyers, and Judge Kelly expressed his displeasure with the denial of Djokovic’s medical exemption.
The court heard arguments from Djokovic’s lawyers, but government counsel Mr. Tran barely spoke for half an hour before a lengthy recess.
Vincent Paul
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