‘Not held captive,’ Australia Home Affairs Minister announces Novak Djokovic is free to leave the country

‘Not held captive,’ Australia Home Affairs Minister announces Novak Djokovic is free to leave the country

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic has been in the news all over the world, as the Serbian was denied entry into Australia. The 34-year-old was granted an Australian Visa under medical exemption. However, the clause on the basis of which he was allowed to compete at the Australian Open 2022 was removed.

Fans around the world are raging on the treatment vented out to Novak Djokovic by the Australian authorities. Novak Djokovic’s family have claimed that the Serbian has been held captive by the authorities.

According to what is known, Djokovic is quarantined at Park Hotel in Carlton. Another tennis player, Renata Voracova, doubles specialist has seen her Visa cancelled and is asked to leave the country at the earliest. Australian Home Affairs Minister, Andrews cleared the air around Djokovic’s situation, and stated that he is not held captive.

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Novak Djokovic free to leave anytime he wants: Andrews

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic

Australia Home Affairs Minister, Andrews has announced that Novak Djokovic is not under any kind of detention and arrangements will be made when he wishes to leave the country.

However, Novak Djokovic is still awaiting the decision on the appeal against the visa cancellation. “Mr Djokovic is not being held captive in Australia. He is free to leave at any time that he chooses to do so and Border Force will actually facilitate that,” said Andrews.

The home minister also asserted that all players have been treated fairly, and just having a medical exemption does not guarantee entry into the country.

“We treat all people who are in immigration detention fairly, equitably. A visa was granted for entry, but that does not guarantee entry,” said Andrews.

“He (Djokovic), along with any other individual who is seeking to enter Australia, also has to meet the entry requirements which at this point includes medical evidence of vaccination or alternatively medical reasons why that individual cannot be vaccinated,” she added.

“He hasn’t met the entry requirements – there is a lot of chatter about the visa, but that in my understanding is not the issue, it is the entry requirements…that he was not able to produce the evidence which was needed for entry into Australia,” the minister concluded.

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