10 January,2022 02:55 PM IST | Melbourne | IANS
Novak Djokovic. Pic/ AFP
World No. one tennis player Novak Djokovic on Monday won the legal battle in his bid to remain in Australia, with a court ordering his immediate release from immigration detention.
"Novak Djokovic be released from immigration detention, finding the government's decision to revoke the tennis star's visa to enter the country was unreasonable," Judge Anthony Kelly said.
Judge Kelly ordered Djokovic be released within 30 minutes and his passport and other travel documents returned to him, rekindling the world number one's chance to win a record 21st Grand Slam title at the upcoming Australian Open.
However, lawyers for the federal government told the court the country's immigration minister was reserving the right to exercise his personal power to again revoke Djokovic's visa.
ALSO READ
Andy Murray is going to coach Novak Djokovic through the Australian Open
From Novak Djokovic to Iga Swiatek, players reflect on Rafael Nadal''s career and retirement
Injured Djokovic to miss ATP Finals
Novak Djokovic withdraws from the ATP Finals. First time in 23 years without a member of the Big 3
Title-holder Novak Djokovic withdraws from ATP Finals due to injury
With the Australian government facing a humiliating and high profile defeat, lawyer Christopher Tran informed the judge that immigration minister Alex Hawke may step in with executive powers and could still cancel his visa on new grounds.
"I'm instructed (the minister) will consider whether to exercise a personal power of cancellation," he said.
Djokovic, 34, has been held in an immigration detention hotel alongside long-term asylum seeker detainees since Thursday. He was permitted to attend his lawyers' chambers for the virtual hearings but has not been seen in public since he arrived in Australia.
His lawyers argued that a recent Covid-19 infection qualified Djokovic for the medical exemption from a requirement for non-Australian citizens entering the country to be double vaccinated.
The Australian government, however, said non-citizens had no right of guaranteed entry to Australia, questioned his claimed exemption and stressed that even if Djokovic wins the court action, it reserved the right to detain him again and remove him from the country.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for the dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the contents in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
