MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic's bid to win a record-breaking 21st men's Grand Slam title at the Australian Open without a COVID-19 vaccination is in jeopardy again after Australia cancelled his visa for a second time on public health grounds.
Here is a summary of key dates in the still developing saga:
Dec 16: Djokovic tested positive for coronavirus, according to his affidavit to the Australian federal court. His accompanying PCR result by the Institute of Public Health of Serbia shows he was tested at 1:05 p.m. and the result time as 8:19 p.m.
Dec 17: The tennis star said he attended a charity event in Belgrade and social media posts show him maskless handing out awards to children. He said in a statement on Wednesday he did not get his PCR result until after the event. He said a rapid antigen test he took beforehand was negative.
Dec 18: Djokovic broke Serbia's isolation rules for a photoshoot and interview with L'Equipe newspaper. He said in his statement that he "felt obliged to go ahead and conduct the L'Equipe interview as I didn't want to let the journalist down."
Dec 22: He received a negative PCR result from the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, according to court documents.
Dec 24-25: Djokovic was seen in Belgrade, according to two eyewitness accounts https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/djokovic-travelled-across-europe-before-australia-trip-odds-with-declaration-2022-01-11 to Reuters. A video posted on social media on Christmas Day showed him playing street tennis in Belgrade.
Dec 30: Tennis Australia informed the world number one that he was granted a temporary medical exemption from the country's vaccine requirements on the grounds of previous infection. In a letter dated Dec 30, Australian Open organizers said this was granted by a panel of medical experts and reviewed by the state government of Victoria, where the tournament is held.
Jan 1: Djokovic told his agent to fill out his travel declaration to enter Australia. The declaration stated that he had not traveled in the 14 days prior to his expected departure from Spain on Jan 4. The Department of Home Affairs advised the agent that Djokovic met the requirements for quarantine-free arrival in Australia. The player later admitted the immigration form had contained an error in not saying he had traveled between Serbia and Spain in the 14 days before he departed.
Jan 2: Djokovic was issued with a border travel permit by the Victorian government. He was seen greeting a fan on video in Marbella, Spain.
Jan 4: "I'm heading Down Under with an exemption," Djokovic announced to the world in an Instagram post shortly before flying from Spain via Dubai to Melbourne. The impending arrival of the vaccine sceptic prompted a huge backlash in Australia, which has undergone some of the world's toughest COVID-19 lockdowns and where hospitalisation rates have hit a record high.
Jan 5: Djokovic touched down at Melbourne's Tullamarine airport at 11:30 p.m.
Jan 6: Australia's Border Force detained the tennis star in a room at the airport overnight, denying him permission to enter the country and notifying him of their intention to remove him. The Serbian president objected to Canberra.
Jan 7: Djokovic faced 72 hours over the Orthodox Christmas holed up in a hotel for asylum seekers after a court agreed to hear his appeal against his canceled visa.
Jan 10: In a virtual court hearing that saw pranksters hijack the live stream and protesters pepper sprayed outside his lawyers office, Djokovic was freed from detention. A judge quashed the government's decision to cancel his visa on the grounds it was unreasonable. Australian immigration minister Alexander Hawke said he would weigh the use of personal powers to deport him anyway. Just after midnight, Djokovic tweeted a photo of himself practicing at Rod Laver arena.
Jan 11: Social media posts and eyewitness accounts to Reuters contradicted Djokovic's immigration form declaration that he did not travel for 14 days before entering the country.
Jan 12: Djokovic posted a statement on Instagram apologising for the mistake on the form and for leaving quarantine to do a photoshoot with L'Equipe.
Jan 13: Djokovic was included in the Australian Open draw as top seed.
Jan 14: Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used discretionary powers to cancel Djokovic's visa for a second time, saying he may pose a health risk.
Reuters
Fri Jan 14 2022
This is the second time that Djokovic has had his visa revoked and his lawyers are expected to challenge the decision in the court, but as things stand the Serbian faces deportation from Australia. - REUTERS
AWANI Ringkas: Gunung berapi Ibu meletus, muntahkan abu setinggi 5km
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Biden ulangi kebimbangan mengenai serangan Israel di Rafah
Presiden Amerika Syarikat, Joe Biden mengulangi kebimbangan mengenai kesan buruk yang akan berlaku susulan serangan Israel keatas Rafah.
Gunung berapi Ibu meletus di Indonesia
Gunung berapi Ibu di pulau terpencil Halhamera di Indonesia meletus sekita jam 9.12 pagi waktu tempatan.
JDT terus kuasai Asia Tenggara, ke-14 terbaik Asia
JDT terus mengekalkan penguasaan sebagai kelab terbaik di Asia Tenggara menerusi kedudukan terkini dikeluarkan oleh laman Opta Analyst.
Prosedur tampal kulit Faisal Halim tunjuk reaksi positif
Prosedur graf kulit atau tampalan kulit untuk menutup luka lecur tahap empat dialami pemain sayap sensasi Harimau Malaya dan Selangor FC, Faisal Halim yang cedera disimbah asid baru-baru ini menunjukkan reaksi positif.
Gunung berapi Ibu meletus, terbangkan abu sehingga 5 kilometer
Gunung berapi Ibu diklasifikasikan sebagai tahap bahaya ketiga, di bawah tahap tertinggi IV.
Hanya bas dibenarkan, van pelancong dari Thailand tidak dibenarkan
Menteri Pengangkutan, Anthony Loke menegaskan hanya bas dri Thailand dibenarkan masuk ke Malaysia, van pelancongan dari negara itu tidak dibenarkan kerana khuatir menjejaskan industri pelancongan negara.
Johor cadang tambah gerabak KTMB JB Sentral - MB
Kerajaan negeri sedang mempertimbangkan cadangan untuk menambah bilangan gerabak Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) di Johor Bahru Sentral (JB Sentral).
Cabaran hebat menanti Sivasangari, Eain Yow pusingan ketiga Kejohanan Skuasy Dunia
Jaguh skuasy wanita negara S. Sivasangari mengetuai kemaraan pemain Malaysia dalam kempen Kejohanan Skuasy Dunia 2024 di Mesir.
Projek elektrik dari Sarawak ke Singapura akan beroperasi menjelang 2031
Projek sambung tara bekalan elektrik dari Sarawak ke Singapura dijangka akan beroperasi secara komersial pada tahun 2031, kata Menteri Utiliti dan Telekomunikasi Sarawak Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi.
Djokovic tewas peringkat separuh akhir Tenis Terbuka Australia
Novak Djokovic tumpas kepada pemain Itali Jannik Sinner di peringkat separuh akhir kejohanan Terbuka Australia.
Tenis Terbuka Australia: Djokovic berang provokasi 'sang pengecut'!
Djokovic sedikit terusik dengan kata-kata nista yang seakan cuba untuk merapuhkan semangat berkobar-kobar juara 10 kali kejohanan itu.
Piala Davis: Jannik Sinner bantu Itali julang kejuaraan pertama sejak 1976
Pemain nombor empat dunia itu menewaskan Djokovic dan kemudiannya Alex De Minaur pada hari Ahad untuk meraih kemenangan 2-0.
Djokovic menang jelajah akhir ATP ketujuh di Itali
Novak Djokovic memenangi kejuaraan Jelajah Akhir ATP ketujuhnya dengan penuh bergaya, menewaskan pemain tuan rumah Jannik Sinner.
Sensasi gelaran Grand Slam ke-24 Djokovic
Pemain Serbia itu menewaskan Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.
Tenis Terbuka AS: Daniil Medvedev kejutkan Carlos Alcaraz untuk ke final
Daniil Medvedev mencipta kejutan dalam Kejohanan Tenis Terbuka Amerika Syarikat apabila menumbangkan juara bertahan Carlos Alcaraz.
Terbuka AS: Novak Djokovic ke final singkir wakil muda tuan rumah
Djokovic hanya dibezakan satu lagi kemenangan untuk menjulang gelaran dalam kejohanan utama buat kali ke-24.
Tenis Terbuka Amerika Syarikat: Djokovic masih berbisa
Pemain sensasi, Novak Djokovic berada dalam kelas tersendiri mara ke pusingan ketiga Terbuka Amerika Syarikat (AS).
Terbuka AS: Djokovic catat kemenangan, teratas ranking dunia
Novak Djokovic menewaskan Alexandre Muller 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 ketika kembali ke Terbuka AS pada Isnin malam sekali gus berada di kedudukan teratas ranking dunia.
Kejohanan Wimbledon: Djokovic didenda gara-gara hempas raket ketika tewas aksi final
Novak Djokovic didenda sebanyak AS$8,000 (RM36,280) gara-gara menghempas raketnya ke tiang jaring sewaktu perlawanan final Kejohanan Tenis Wimbledon minggu lalu.