Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia after a court upheld a decision to cancel his visa, ending the tennis star’s bid to defend his Australian Open title
SYDNEY— as an unvaccinated player despite the country’s tough Covid-19 vaccine requirements.
Djokovic said he was extremely disappointed. “I will now be taking some time to rest and to recuperate, before making any further comments beyond this,” he said. The country has one of the highest Covid-19 vaccination rates in the world. Australia, where children between 5 and 11 years old only began to receive their first shots last week, has vaccinated roughly 79% of its total population, according to Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. has, by comparison, vaccinated 64%.
Conflict over vaccine mandates has reverberated through Canberra, the country’s capital. Five coalition senators in November crossed the floor to back a minor party’s bill against vaccine mandates, which was unsuccessful. Footage showing two television news anchors criticizing Djokovic, including one labeling him as lying and sneaky, was leaked online last week by a subtitling company employee. Seven West Media Ltd., one of Australia’s largest media companies, said it would investigate the leak but didn’t apologize for the remarks.
Serbian President Alexander Vucic questioned why Australia didn’t refuse Djokovic’s visa or deport him immediately. “Why do you harass him, why do you mistreat him, as well as his family and a nation that is free and proud?” he said in a four-minute video posted on social media before the court’s decision.
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