On Sunday, it seems that the fate of Novak Djokovic will be finally decided, as the appeal filed by his lawyers against the decision of the Minister of Immigration Alex Hawk to cancel his visa again.
Novak Djokovic has asked for an urgent court ruling to prevent his deportation from the government and to play in the Australian Open following today’s decision by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to cancel his visa.
The case was rushed to the court on Friday night (Australian time) before Judge Anthony Kelly, who is the one who had vindicated the number one tennis player in the international ranking a few days ago.
Djokovic’s lawyers have asked the court to suspend the deportation of the Serbian tennis player from Australia. Nick Wood’s lawyer stressed that the Serbian legal team would submit a “correction request”, an order prohibiting the tennis player from being deported and being held in an immigration center. He told Judge Kelly that his legal team could file the lawsuit tonight, as “time is of the essence” given that the Australian Open starts on Monday.
Djokovic’s lawyer said that the Immigration Minister’s decision to cancel the 34-year-old Serb’s visa was based on the premise that his presence in Australia would strengthen the anti-vaccination sentiment. He added that the minister based his move on a comment made by Djokovic in 2020 and described the reasoning as “obviously absurd”.
Mr Wood asked Judge Kelly to schedule a hearing for Sunday as the Australian Open kicks off on Monday. Until then, Djokovic will not be detained.
The government’s legal representative, Steven Lloyd, expressed the intention to ask Djokovic questions on Saturday morning by representatives of immigration policy and then to decide whether to detain him. He assured that there is no intention from the government to expel him immediately, assuring that Djokovic will be allowed to have any contact with his lawyers, in view of Sunday’s proceedings.
In the Novak Djokovic case, Federal Circuit Court judge Anthony Kelly appears inclined to transfer the matter to the Federal Court (so another judge hears it) but to also grant a temporary injunction on Djoker being deported tonight, giving them until Saturday arvo.
— Sarah Dankert (@sdanck) January 14, 2022
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