Before the Australian Open: could Novak Djokovic end up in jail for several years?

The decision to expel tennis professional Novak Djokovic from Australia has still not been made. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has not yet decided on the cancellation of the visa, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a press conference in Canberra on Thursday. The Serb hopes to stay in the country and take part in the Australian Open, which starts on Monday.

But what happens if Hawke decides against the 34-year-old? He could do this for two reasons. Because an infection in the last six months is not a valid exception for a vaccination exemption. Or quite simply “for reasons of character”. One thing is certain: Djokovic can fight and call the Federal Circuit Court, so appeal. And then? The answers to the most important questions:

No. It doesn’t have to be. If the court decides to meet later in the year and decide on the Djokovic case, the world number one in tennis could probably contest the tournament with an injunction.

Yes absolutely. If the court meets before Monday, i.e. before the day on which the Australian Open starts, and decides against the tennis star, the Serb can be deported quickly. Then he would miss the tournament. And not only that: It could be that Djokovic is no longer allowed to travel to Australia for a long time. “An entry ban of up to three years can be imposed if a person violates the visa regulations,” says the government website. From a sporting point of view, Djokovic threatens to have to give up number one in the world rankings, as he would lose many points in the ranking list without participating in the tournament in Melbourne and his pursuers Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev could move up.

Then the Serb could be excluded from the Australian Open as a precaution. A lucky loser would move up for Djokovic. Which would mean: Even if the court decided in favor of Djokovic during the tournament, he would no longer be able to intervene in the tournament and compete against compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round. Lucky Loser would be a qualifying tennis player. If Djokovic is not excluded as a precaution, the elimination will then be treated like a forfait, i.e. the actual opponent will advance without a fight.

Yes. If the court rejects the objection, the Serbs face up to several years in prison. His entry form could be his undoing. When he entered the country, he stated that he had not traveled in the 14 days before. A point that is wrong, as he was in Spain in December and over the New Year. Djokovic described this as a “human error” of his agent, “which was certainly not done on purpose”. And things could get worse for the Serbs in Australia. Abul Rizvi, a former deputy secretary of the immigration authorities, claims against the “Express” that the tennis star could be arrested on the court by heavily armed police officers.

But he is not only threatened with hardship in Australia – no. Djokovic could not get off scot-free in his home country of Serbia either. Because he did not go into isolation after a positive corona test, he faces a penalty in his home country. Because ignoring the isolation violates Serbian law.

Yes, in Spain. Everything indicates that the 34-year-old Serb entered the EU country illegally shortly before New Year’s Eve, as reported by the usually well-informed radio station Cadena Cope and other Spanish media. When he arrived, the world number one had neither submitted a vaccination certificate nor applied for the special permit that is mandatory for unvaccinated Serbs in Spain, it said, citing the Spanish Foreign Ministry in Madrid. The government in Madrid ordered the police to initiate an investigation.

According to media reports from Spain and Australia, among others, Djokovic was seen, photographed and filmed on December 31st and January 2nd and 3rd in the luxury seaside resort of Marbella in southern Spain. There he trained at the Club de Tenis Puente Romano and distributed autographs, among other things, as reported by the renowned Spanish newspaper El País. According to the media, the Serb owns a house in Marbella in the province of Andalusia. What punishment does he face? A steep one. He faces a fine or up to three years in prison for failing to comply with health regulations during an epidemic.

Yes he does. At least that’s what «The Age» writes. According to the report, his lawyers are already preparing a possible appeal. The paper refers to a source from the Djokovic environment. And that’s probably also important – at least from the Serbian point of view. As «The Age» is said to have learned from government circles, there is currently a lot to speak in favor of visa cancellation.

The “Bild” reports that Djokovic canceled his training in Australia. The Serb had only trained for half an hour and finished his training when his fitness trainer Marco Panichi approached him and showed him a message on his cell phone. The training place was actually reserved for two hours, writes the newspaper. It is unclear where Djokovic disappeared to afterwards.