Unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic on Friday asked an Australian court to block his deportation ahead of the Australian Open after the government cancelled his visa for the second time over COVID-19 entry regulations.
The government nevertheless ordered that he return to pre-deportation detention at 8 a.m. (2100 GMT Friday) on Saturday, albeit with permission to meet his lawyers at their offices.
Djokovic's legal team submitted their request for an injunction late at night, less than three hours after Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used discretionary powers to revoke the visa.
The world tennis number one, bidding for a record 21st Grand Slam trophy in defending his Australian title, had been told on arrival on Jan. 5 that his visa, granted on the basis of a medical exemption from a vaccination requirement for visitors, was invalid.
The 34-year-old Serbian spent several days in immigration detention, in a hotel also used for asylum-seekers, before that decision was revoked on procedural grounds.
Read More (...)
