Djokovic May Participate In Australian Open Next Year - Australian Prime Minister

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2022) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison did not rule out on Monday that Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic may participate in the Australian Open tennis tournament next year, despite the three-year ban to enter Australia after being deported for breaking the national COVID-19 regulations.

"It (ban to enter Australia) does cover a three year period, but there is the opportunity for him to return under right circumstances, and it will be considered at the time," Morrison said on the air of the national radio 2GB when asked what Djokovic should do to be allowed to play the next year.

Morrison added that the Federal government gave no medical exemptions to Djokovic and the tennis player "was wrong" thinking this way.

Djokovic arrived in Australia on January 5 to participate in the Australia Open tennis tournament.

On January 6, he was detained and put into a migration isolation ward after the Australian authorities canceled his visa. Djokovic was accused of skirting COVID-19 rules that require all tennis players to present proof of vaccination or a medical exemption, while his lawyers argued that he had been granted an exemption after being cured from the disease in December.

Four days later, the tennis player was released by a court order from the isolation ward. On January 10, Djokovic's visa was reinstated by the federal district court in Melbourne, but on Friday, Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke revoked the player's visa for the second time, after which Djokovic skipped the tournament and left the country on Sunday.