Outcry as Australia bars Djokovic over vaccination status
Djokovic touched down at Tullamarine airport Wednesday about 11:30 p.m. local time after a 14-hour flight from Dubai
World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic was denied entry into Australia on Thursday amid a storm of protest about a decision to grant him a medical exemption from Covid-19 vaccination requirements to play in the Australian Open.
The tennis star was transported to a quarantine hotel in Melbourne after being held at the city's airport overnight and was told he would be removed from the country later on Thursday, a source close to the tournament told Reuters.
Australia's Border Force confirmed Djokovic's visa had been revoked, while the source said the player's lawyers planned to file an injunction to prevent his removal.
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Djokovic's injunction request against the visa cancellation was listed for hearing at 4 pm (0500 GMT) in the Federal Circuit and Family Court, according to court documents.
The saga, fuelled by domestic political point-scoring about the country's handling of a record surge in new Covid-19 infections, has created an international incident with the Serbian president claiming harassment of its star player.
"There are no special cases, rules are rules," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a televised media briefing.
