11:30 am. Nicholas Wood accuses the government of wanting to buy time. The lawyer denounces the fact that the Australian government made its decision on a Friday evening “shortly after 6 p.m.” and more than a week after the initial decision to withdraw his visa for the first time. Mr Wood also requested an order to prevent his client from being questioned by immigration officials on Saturday morning.
11:25 am. The world’s number one lawyer confirms that he has not been placed in detention at this stage.
11:15 am. Djokovic asks the courts to block his deportation from Australia. Nicholas Wood, lawyer for Novak Djokovic, has just asked the court for an injunction preventing his deportation. The lawyer suggests that Judge Anthony Kelly retain the case in this court and not transfer it to the Federal Court, in order to avoid wasting time. “Every minute before the tournament starts on Monday” is “precious” for the player, he explains.
11:13. Justice Kelly is considering the possibility of the case being transferred to the Australian Federal Court.
10:51 am. The hearing begins. Justice Kelly reviewed the history of the proceedings.
10:32 am. An Australian court will begin an emergency hearing on the player. The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia will be holding an emergency hearing this morning which will decide the player’s future. It will be chaired by Judge Anthony Kelly, who oversaw the initial hearing in the first cancellation, according to The Age.
10:17. Djokovic summoned Saturday by immigration. The world number 1 is called on Saturday for an interview with the Australian immigration services, according to a journalist with the Australian newspaper The Age. Novak Djokovic would remain at large until then. He adds that the government is currently in talks with the tennis star’s lawyers.
9:52 a.m. The game is not necessarily lost for “Djoker”. If his lawyers decide to appeal, which is a priori the most plausible option, the Serbian will return to the federal court in Melbourne which had ruled in his favor last Monday by reinstating his visa. “Djokovic is extremely well armed and has a competent team around him. He can either stay and fight or go, ”says immigration lawyer Christopher Levingston. Find the different possible scenarios in our dedicated article.
09:20. Cancellation of Djokovic visa aims to protect Australians’ ‘sacrifices’, according to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. “Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and rightly want the outcome of those sacrifices to be protected,” Morrison said in a statement.
8h50. Djoko en Sursis. This second visa cancellation means the Serbian player, who was aiming for a record 21st Grand Slam title at the Australian Open which begins on Monday, will be banned from entering the country for three years, except under certain circumstances. But Novak Djokovic can still appeal this decision …
8:40 am. Firmness of the Australian government. This decision was taken “on health and public order bases”, the minister said in a press release. The Australian government “is firmly committed to protecting Australian borders, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
8:30 am. Welcome to this live. Novak Djokovic was once again canceled his visa allowing him to stay in Australia and therefore participate in the Grand Slam tournament which begins Monday in Melbourne. Follow with us the consequences of this decision for the Serbian.
