Novak Djokovic clear to play Australian Open 2023 after visa ban overturned by federal government
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Updated 16/11/2022 at 09:01 GMT
Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia back in January, just before the 2022 edition of the Australian Open started. The Serbian, who is not vaccinated, was hopeful that his three-year visa ban would be overturned in time to play at Melbourne in 2023, and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has decided to have Djokovic’s visa ban overturned in time for next year's Grand Slam.
Djokovic gets his ninth straight win over Tsitsipas in his ATP Finals opener
Novak Djokovic is clear to play at next year’s Australian Open after the federal government overturned his visa ban.
The Serbian, currently in action at the year-ending ATP Finals, was deported just before the 2022 edition started and saw his visa cancelled “in the public interest”.
However, reports on Tuesday suggested Immigration Minister Andrew Giles would allow Djokovic a visa, overturning his automatic three-year ban.
The decision has now been confirmed by the BBC.
Australian Open director Craig Tiley said on Tuesday that he was still awaiting a decision but was not expecting “preferential treatment” for the player.
“There’s a normal visa application process that everyone is going through right now, and everyone will go through the right timing,” Tiley told AAP.
“I don’t think there should be any preferential treatment for anyone. But I fully expect to have an answer for everyone by the time that they need to book their flights and come in, including Novak.
“That’s entirely up to the Australian government. I know Novak wants to come and play and to get back to competing.
“He loves Australia and it’s where he’s had the best success, but the timing [on any announcement] is up to somebody else and we’ll just play that one by ear.”
Djokovic has won the Australian Open nine times.
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Djokovic is not vaccinated for Covid-19, which prompted the January saga ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year, but Australian travel rules now state that you do not need proof of a Covid-19 vaccine to travel to and from the country.
Ten months ago, the then immigration minister Alex Hawke had cancelled Djokovic’s visa, describing the player as a “talisman of anti-vaccination sentiment”, adding there could be “civil unrest” if he was allowed to stay and compete.
Djokovic went on to explain his Covid stance in an interview with the BBC in February.
"I was never against vaccination," he said. “I understand that globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus.
“Vaccination is probably the biggest effort. I fully respect that. But I’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put into your body. For me, that is essential, it’s really the principle of understanding what is right and what is wrong for you.
“Me as an elite professional athlete, I’ve always carefully reviewed, assessed everything that comes in from supplements, food, water, anything that comes into my body as a fuel. Based on all the information that I got, I decided against the vaccine.”
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