appeal, the government has the last word
The infinite – and grotesque – story Djokovic continues to give theatrical hits, for now the certainty is that, pending the final verdict, the second set was won by the Serbian. Melbourne court overturned decision to cancel visa at No. 1 ATP, now free to leave Park Hotel – where he was with the other immigrants awaiting trial – and to train for the upcoming Australian Open, starting next Monday. Freedom, so to speak, conditioned, why? the last word rests with Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke. According to the Migration Act, the minister has the personal power to cancel a visa, should he deem it: the final decision should arrive tomorrow, in the Italian night. The thesis of Djokovic’s lawyers passed before the Australian court, according to which their client, upon his arrival at the airport, he would not have been exposed to his reasons. Withdrawing his visa was “an unreasonable decision” according to Judge Anthony Kelly, which therefore ordered its release within 30 minutes.
Djokovic, unvaccinated, had left for Melbourne – where, according to the laws of the State of Victoria, one can only enter if vaccinated – by virtue of a ‘exemption granted to him by Tennis Australia, as he recently recovered from the covid. At least questionable exemption: the proof of his positivity is based on a positive swab of December 16, a pity that the day after the tennis player participated – complete with supporting photos – a public event in Belgrade. Pending the final verdict of Minister Hawke, the outline of the Djokovic affair is enriched with further details. Between fake news about his arrest – arrived from Serbia and denied from Australia – and the party of his supporters, they took to the street with a lot of scarves and Serbian flags. In front of the Park Hotel in recent days, in front of the offices where Djokovic awaited his sentence today.