Novak Djokovic spent Orthodox Christmas in Australian immigration detention on Friday as his attorneys combat a authorities determination to deport him from Australia. The scene exterior the lodge the place Novak Djokovic is believed to be in Melbourne. (Reuters Photo)HIGHLIGHTSNovak Djokovic spent considered one of his vital non secular holidays in an Australian detention lodgeBorder officers detained Djokovic at Melbourne’s airport when he arrived on Wednesday The preliminary determination to grant entry to Djokovic was met with outrage in AustraliaWorld No. 1 Novak Djokovic spent considered one of his vital non secular holidays in an Australian detention lodge engaged on his problem towards deportation. He has been receiving calls from Serbia, together with from his mother and father and the president, hoping to spice up his spirits.
A priest from the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Melbourne sought permission from immigration authorities to go to the nine-time Australian Open champion to rejoice Orthodox Christmas.Border officers detained Djokovic at Melbourne’s airport when he arrived on Wednesday night and revoked the visa he had been granted on the premise of a medical exemption from Australia’s strict Covid-19 vaccination necessities.The preliminary determination to grant entry to Djokovic was met with outrage in Australia, a rustic with an grownup vaccination charge of greater than 90% that’s battling its worst surge in infections for the reason that pandemic started.The Australian authorities pushed again on Friday towards options by Serbian supporters, together with Djokovic’s household, that the star participant was successfully a prisoner, stressing he’s free to go away the nation at any time.”Mr. Djokovic is not being held captive in Australia, he is free to leave at any time that he chooses to do so and the Border Force will actually facilitate that,” Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews instructed reporters.Djokovic’s attorneys efficiently scrambled for pressing authorized approval for him to stay within the nation till a full courtroom listening to in his case towards the federal authorities on Monday.The public listening to is predicted to disclose extra particulars in regards to the exemption granted to Djokovic and the documentation he supplied to immigration officers on the border to help it.Click right here for IndiaToday.in’s full protection of the coronavirus pandemic.