Novak Djokovic’s family walked out of a press conference when asked if the tennis star knowingly mingled with children without a mask the day after he tested positive for COVID.
A decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa was overturned in the Federal Circuit Court on Monday and he was in training straight away for the Australian Open starting next week.
The federal government says it is still considering whether to cancel his visa, saying it has the power to do so despite the court ruling in the Serbian’s favour.
Djokovic received a medical exemption to compete in the year’s first grand slam but was told by the Australian Border Force he had insufficient evidence to prove his exemption was justified.
Court documents released after the hearing reveal the 20-time grand slam champion was swabbed at 1.05pm on December 16 and received a positive result at 8.19pm.
Djokovic attended an awards ceremony at the Novak Tennis Centre in Belgrade on December 17. Photos on social media show the 34-year-old posing for photos with children without wearing a mask.
French newspaper L’Équipe revealed Djokovic posed without a mask during a photo shoot on December 18.
His family was asked about the timeline as they spoke of their relief he had been freed from the Melbourne hotel.
“Thank you to people all over the world, people have risen in defence of Novak, we have seen the footage in front of the detention centre,” his brother Djordje said.
“Novak is free, he practised on the courts. He went there to chase another title, with the best possible intent and all the documentation.
“Novak has been labelled many times, but all he stands for is freedom of choice. The justice has been done.
“Truth and justice came to the light. I would like to thank the justice system of Australia.”
Djokovic’s father Srdjan added: “Novak is a mental rock. He never offended anyone, he always tries to help, not the contrary.”
Within hours of being released from immigration detention on Monday evening, Djokovic headed for Rod Laver Arena to have a practice session in preparation for his planned Australian Open title defence.
The Serb was granted late night access to the court to loosen his limbs and reacquaint himself with his tennis racquets after spending almost a week under guard at the Park Hotel in the inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton, and the day at his lawyers’ chambers listening to the court case.
After several hours of legal argument Federal Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly quashed the decision to block Djokovic’s entry into Australia.
The judge said the world No.1 was given insufficient time to speak to Tennis Australia officials and to lawyers to respond to being told of the intent to cancel his visa.
Tweeting a photograph of himself and his team on Melbourne Park’s main court Djokovic wrote: “I’m pleased and grateful that the Judge overturned my visa cancellation. Despite all that has happened, I want to stay and try to compete @AustralianOpen. I remain focused on that. I flew here to play at one of the most important events we have in front of the amazing fans.
“For now I cannot say more but THANK YOU all for standing with me through all this and encouraging me to stay strong.”
The text was followed by several prayer emojis.
Rafael Nadal, who is tied with Djokovic and Roger Federer on a record 20 grand slam titles, called the controversy “a circus” and said he supported the decision to allow his great rival to play in the Open.
“Whether or not I agree with Djokovic on some things, justice has spoken and has said that he has the right to participate in the Australian Open and I think it is the fairest decision to do so, if it has been resolved that way. I wish him the best of luck,” Nadal told Spanish radio Onda Cero.
However, nine-time Open champion Djokovic is still not certain of competing.
A spokesman for Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said he was considering whether there are still grounds to cancel the tennis star’s visa.
Soon after Djokovic finished his practice in Melbourne his family gave a press conference in Serbia during which his mother, according to the BBC translator, said her son “was subjected to torture, to harassment. We will hear even more about what he has gone through”.
Dijana Djokovic also said: “This is his biggest win in his career, it is bigger than any grand slams.”
His father Srdan added: “They took away all his rights his rights, as a human being.”
Brother Djordje Djokovic said: “He went to Australia to play tennis, to try and win the Open and win the record he has been chasing for so many years.”
“We love Australia, Novak loves Australia, he’s won it so many times, we will keep on coming back”.
Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli told the BBC she thought Djokovic would be physically ready to compete at the Australian Open, which starts on 17 January, but he may be mentally drained after the events of the past few days.
“I think he can work his way through the first week and build his momentum towards the second week, it’s more how mentally and psychologically he will be affected by all of this,” she said.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
maybe this selfish pr!ck needs to read the headlines and see the people are still dying from covid and this is why countries have rules about being vaccinated and border entry. https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw-reports-29-covid-deaths-63000-new-cases-220649173.html
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
Howard Stern said it best - https://au.sports.yahoo.com/australian-open-novak-djokovic-slammed-by-radio-host-howard-stern-015706682.html
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Excellent stuff Mick. I assume that he will be allowed to stay now. But certainly he needs to be reminded that ha will be fortunate to walk onto centre court.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Anyone critical of his vaccine or covid position is a hater now?
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Fabulous! Two posters in a row understand the focus of Justice Anthony Kelly's decision, against the tide of opinion formed around the solid reasoning that "Morrison is a .urd", "the Wuhan virus is safe, just like jelly beans" and "my great grandfather fought for our freedom at Baton Rouge under Colonel Gustavus A. Breaux." If I had carriage of that action and the solicitors and barristers failed so dismally to steer the judge to the central point (completeness and veracity of supporting documentation to the Australian Travel Declaration, upon arrival) I'd have been onto their senior partner the moment the Court rose. So many people were put to the test in their day jobs and failed. The border blokes were first class dolts for not appointing their cleverest, quickest thinker to deal with Honest Djok on arrival (an early report had them hurrying him along so that they could finish their shift on time!) - one who knew the regulations backwards and understood the importance of "due process" and "acting reasonably". The judge wandered off the reservation to punish Morrison (or someone in government - I was alerted by a couple of candid unnecessary observations by him in the January 7 mention) and ingratiate himself to his peers, as they do - if you want to see blind ego rampant go and sit through several days of an action up in Phillip Street - and they allowed him to do that! Two ministers have displayed classic hesitancy. It's an Australian management characteristic, wanting to be the boss with all that authority, avoiding making a decision like the plague. Top end Americans are far superior, more sure footed, at management and leadership as well. Ministerette Karen Andrews obviously had no-one looking out for potential problems for the week ahead and there was no contingency plan to keep Honest Djok on the hop, if necessary. Asking the Court for extra time to prepare for as straightforward a matter as this was plain inept and foolish. The Minister for Illegals, Hawke, has to be the most indecisive man in the country. He has had people working for a week now and has done nothing. Senior counsel; a brace of solicitors - Attorney General, Home Affairs, Illegals, Prime Ministers Department, consultant solicitors; departmental lackeys, public service union officers; and a half dozen Senior Assistant Deputy Departmental heads really don't need a week stroking their chins and murmuring wisely together to come up with something workable. There's an act, a regulation, a raft of precedents twenty five years long (plus what went before) and a whole branch of the law educated in the specific subject matter. Who is he scared of? Ian Rintoul? He likes his three or four hundred thousand dollars a year but he does not like making decisions, that is clear! The mob is into Morrison notwithstanding there has not been any overt triumphalism from his corner. That would be wise in retrospect, given his Ministers have proven mediocre at first, then useless. I must commend Andrews in Victoria - not for the first time he has revealed skill in starting a blue then swimming out unscathed to the edge of the brawling crowd! I had a couple of scrum halves like that - kick it off and stand back to enjoy watching us big blokes going at it!
jameswm
Roar Guru
See above. And the answer to your question is too basic for me to answer.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
So tell me what it achieves keeping Novak out of the country Jameswm? Qld had another 38000 yesterday. Novak aint up here.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Jameswm Novak has been the highlight of a lot of news reels for 6 mths now. Nothing to do with his social media. Ever since he refused to say if he was or wasnt vaccinated he has been a target. Haters gotta hate.
WINSTON
Roar Rookie
Correction *specifically
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Yep. An arrogant Balkan. Pure and simple. Good luck to him. This next victory must mean a lot to him. Whenever it comes, if ever!
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Thank you Winston. I am entitled to your opinion.
WINSTON
Roar Rookie
I very specify read Judge Kelly's comments. Novax could have done no more than what he did. So really, Australians are just looking rather pig headed from afar
The Late News
Roar Rookie
No mate if you read the judgement carefully he was let free simply because he wasn't given enough time by the border guys to provide whatever documentation. They never actually got to the details about his documents. It was about "procedural fairness", not covid.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Nice straw man argument.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Novak was looked at more closely because he personally referred to his BS exemption on social media. I have now found a 3rd reason for his TA exemption being BS – he applied after their own cutoff date. Novax did not meet TA’s own requirements for the exemption (apply before the cutoff date and have an ATAGI approved reason for an exemption), but they gave him the exemption anyway. I’ll bet that Czech lady is stoked at the sh!!storm Novak has got her caught up in.
Ozymandias
Guest
Yep, ff at the end of Jacko, fits him perfectly. He's just another empty can making a lot of noise
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Joe there was over 20,000 cases of Covid detected yesterday in QLD and Novak hasnt been to qld so who do you blame all those cases on? Seems you want to hate a bloke just because he is a great tennis player. So please tell me what it is that kicking Novak out of the country achieves as Vic and NSW had a lot more cases than Qld did. But hey lets blame the tennis player for all the problems Aus has.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Thalidomide!!!!! So you are saying Novaks a thalidomide??? So lets hope he isnt being used by pregnant or breast feeding women eh! Hehe
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Yes the example of the female player is no shining light on Aus border control and shows Novak was looked at far heavier than others were. That female was allowed in incorrectly and spent a week in the community. Someone stuffed up!
JB
Guest
The judge ruled only on whether or not ND was allowed time to speak with his lawyers and Tennis Australia. The ruling was that he wasn't. The hearing and the judgement had nothing to do with the validity of his visa or his supporting documentation.