«[...] They have allowed me to have the medical exemption so as not to vaccinate me from the Covid. I requested it and they approved it. I do not know what else you want me to tell you. I came here because I have these documents, otherwise they would not have allowed me to come. I really do not understand the reason why it does not allow me to enter your country. "
Already advanced the interrogation of more than seven hours, with some interruptions, the one who faced Melbourne's customs at dawn on January 6, Novak Djokovic kept the pulse without understanding what was happening, why, when he thought the guarantee From the Australian Tennis Federation and the group of independent epidemiologists of the State of Victoria would be sufficient, it was rejected in the country where as of next Monday aims to conquer its tenth open from Australia and Vigesimoprimer Title of the Grand Slam.
The interrogation, which was known this Monday, once Magistrate Anthony Kelly decided to allow him to continue in the country and can compete in the first great of the season, reveals the insurmountable argument shock between the border forces and the Serbian tennis player. The last word, however, has the Australian Immigration Minister, in application of Section 113 C (·) of the Migration Law. Alex Hawke has the power to deny Djokovic visa and even prevent him from entering the country for three years. Six days at the beginning of the tournament, the nine-time champion is still in danger of being expelled from Australia.
«There seems to be a land to consider the cancellation of your GG-408 visa Because you present a risk to health, safety and the good order of the Australian community or a sector of the Australian Community," the officer objects. of customs. Djokovic, which admits at the beginning of the interrogation that he is not vaccinated and that he passed the Covid twice, the last of them on December 16, 2021, presents the documents that proceed. But the dialectical dispute has just begun.
"This letter of the medical exemption talks about a revision of a group of the Australian Federation, nothing said of the federal government," the person in charge of interviewing him argues once he has received the document with the group of independent epidemiologists. The loop between the competences of the federal government and those of the state of Victoria is a constant. "No, we have not received any email from the federal government," the player admits, who apologizes on several occasions, without hesitation in the defense of his arguments.
"Well, I do not have printed documents with me, but I can try to find them electronically, we send an email to the independent doctors panel that was selected by the Australian Federal Government," explains the tennis player, who repeatedly stumbles from the State of Victoria, while the interrogator lets you slide until minutes later Djokovic is corrected. "Yes, I probably wrong, it was not the federal government, but the one of Victoria who selected the Panel of Independent Physicians, who worked with the Australian Open".
Judge Anthony Kelly founded his sentence in which Djokovic was not granted the promised period to be able to present allegations to the withdrawal of his visa. At 5.42 hours he was told that he would have a deadline until 8.30, but at 7:42 h. He was informed of cancellation. «If you can, we wait until eight and so I can call the Australian Tennis Federation and try to solve it. But now? Everybody's sleeping. [...] I can call my agent right now. You told me that I can not communicate with anyone, nobody knows what is happening, "Djokovic defends himself at another time of dialogue with border forces.
According to the judge, the Serbian was not awarded time "to consult other people and present arguments to explain why his visa should not be annulled." The judge stops in what he considers Djokovic's defenselessness. "What else could this man have done?" He asks him.
After listening to the allegations based on the 1958 Migration Act, the tennis player rejects signing the cancellation of his visa, arguing that he has facilitated enough documentation. «I really do not understand how in your system you do not have the information that says that if you have contracted the Covid and you have given positive in the last six months and you have enough antibodies and a negative test, all which I have tried, you have guaranteed enter to the country".
Djokovic left the Park Hotel de Melbourne, where he was retained for four days. "I want to stay and try to compete in Australia, he said, photographing satisfied with him at the team of work at the center of Rod Lauer Arena. "He has won the most important party of his life," said his mother, Dijana, at the second press conference granted in Belgrade with her husband, Srdjan, and his son Djordje, in which they commented that Nole had been "mistreated". . "Novak did nothing against the law."
Date Of Update: 10 January 2022, 16:32
