Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Update
Government is still testing
Incorrect information on Djokovic’s entry form
Novak Djokovic has to be patient. He is currently free to move around Australia, but his visa review has not yet been completed. In addition, there are now further incriminating indications. The tennis star gave false information on the entry form.
Even one day after the court ruling in his favor, tennis professional Novak Djokovic still has no certainty about his participation in the Australian Open. Before a decision by the government around the responsible immigration minister Alex Hawke, who can still revoke the 34-year-old Serb’s visa, details from an immigration form could also cause additional difficulties.
As reported by the Australian media, one of the statements in the document is inconsistent with the truth. Djokovic answered “no” to the question of whether he had traveled in the 14 days before his arrival in Australia on January 6th. However, through photos and videos published in social networks, it can be understood that the athlete, who lives in Monaco, was training both in his home country of Serbia and in Spain during the period in question before he traveled down under.
There is an explicit warning against false information on the form: “Providing false or misleading information is a serious criminal offense. Providing false or misleading information can also be punished under civil law.” According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the maximum sentence is twelve months imprisonment. It is unclear to what extent the misstatement has an influence on the decision of Immigration Secretary Hawke or is relevant in this context.
In addition, the journalist Ben Rothenberg raised another problem: The Djokovic website has published the test result to which the athlete is referring. On the sheet is a QR code that he scanned – which indicated the test was negative. So exactly the opposite of what Djokovic said about his infection and what was the basis for his exemption for the Australian Open. A few minutes after Rothenberg’s tweet, the “New York Times” author tried again – and the test was given positive. Unclear what happened, whether an error on the website or possibly manipulation. Several people reported to him that they kept getting different results.
ATP laments communication
Djokovic was refused entry into the country last week because he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus and the documentation of his medical exemption was insufficient for the authorities. That is why he was staying in a deportation hotel in Melbourne at the weekend. Because the border officials had not given him the agreed time to clarify, the decision was overturned during a court hearing on Monday.
The men’s professional tennis organization ATP has now criticized the ambiguities in the entry regulations to Australia. A statement said that the victims of the Australian population during the corona pandemic and the country’s strict rules are respected. However, complications in recent days in connection with the entry of players to Australia have shown the need for more clarity and clearer communication and application of the rules.
The events that led to the trial of Djokovic’s objection to his visa revoked were detrimental to everyone involved and in particular to the well-being of the world number one and his preparation for the Australian Open. In principle, the ATP advocates vaccination against the corona virus and encourages all players to do so.
The Australian Open will be held from January 17th to 30th. Djokovic has won the tournament nine times – more often than anyone else.