https://sputnikglobe.com/20220215/reason-why-i-was-deported-novak-djokovic-hits-out-at-australian-government-for-visa-fiasco-1093059008.html
'Reason Why I Was Deported...': Novak Djokovic Hits Out at Australian Government for Visa Fiasco
'Reason Why I Was Deported...': Novak Djokovic Hits Out at Australian Government for Visa Fiasco
Sputnik International
Novak Djokovic's Australian saga was perhaps one of the most controversial topics in the sports world in January. After being granted a medical exemption to... 15.02.2022, Sputnik International
2022-02-15T16:21+0000
2022-02-15T16:21+0000
2022-12-10T11:44+0000
sport
novak djokovic
tennis
tennis star
grand slam
grand slam
rafael nadal
australian open tennis championship
deportation
controversy
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0d/1092226317_0:49:3071:1777_1920x0_80_0_0_d666e77209cb74a6fd49b4d5c5a37b25.jpg
Novak Djokovic has ripped into the Australian government for deliberately scuttling his chances of claiming a historic 21st Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park after he was sent packing from the island nation over his vaccination status.Djokovic, who denied being an anti-vaxxer in an interview with British broadcaster the BBC earlier on Tuesday, said that the whole saga wasn’t “easy” and that he was “sad and disappointed” with the way he was treated in the Land Down Under.“I was really sad and disappointed with the way it all ended for me in Australia”, he claimed. “It wasn't easy”.In his absence, Spain's Rafael Nadal became the first man to win 21 Grand Slam titles after he defeated World No.2 Daniil Medvedev in an epic final in Victoria.Djokovic, who had been out of the public eye since his return to his homeland Serbia, finally broke his silence on his highly controversial deportation, accusing the Australian authorities of creating a false narrative about his outlook on COVID-19 vaccines."The reason why I was deported from Australia was because the minister for immigration used his discretion to cancel my visa based on his perception that I might create some anti-vax sentiment in the country or in the city, which I completely disagree with", he said.The 34-year-old superstar also rejected the theory that his visa was cancelled because there was an error in his travel history document, as he declared that the mistake wasn't intentional."The visa declaration error was not deliberately made", Djokovic added.
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2022
Pawan Atri
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png
Pawan Atri
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png
News
en_EN
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Pawan Atri
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png
sport, novak djokovic, tennis, tennis star, grand slam, grand slam, rafael nadal, australian open tennis championship, deportation, controversy, sputnik, silence, fiasco
sport, novak djokovic, tennis, tennis star, grand slam, grand slam, rafael nadal, australian open tennis championship, deportation, controversy, sputnik, silence, fiasco
'Reason Why I Was Deported...': Novak Djokovic Hits Out at Australian Government for Visa Fiasco
16:21 GMT 15.02.2022 (Updated: 11:44 GMT 10.12.2022) Novak Djokovic's Australian saga was perhaps one of the most controversial topics in the sports world in January. After being granted a medical exemption to compete in the Grand Slam Down Under, the Serbian lost his 11-day-long battle with the country's authorities, as his visa was revoked by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke.
Novak Djokovic has ripped into the Australian government for deliberately scuttling his chances of claiming a historic 21st Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park after he was sent packing from the island nation over his vaccination status.
Djokovic, who
denied being an anti-vaxxer in an interview with British broadcaster the BBC earlier on Tuesday, said that the whole saga wasn’t “easy” and that he was “sad and disappointed” with the way he was treated in the Land Down Under.
“I was really sad and disappointed with the way it all ended for me in Australia”, he claimed. “It wasn't easy”.
In his absence, Spain's
Rafael Nadal became the first man to win 21 Grand Slam titles after he defeated World No.2 Daniil Medvedev in an epic final in Victoria.
Djokovic, who had been out of the public eye since his return to his homeland Serbia, finally broke his silence on his highly controversial deportation, accusing the Australian authorities of creating a false narrative about his outlook on COVID-19 vaccines.
"The reason why I was deported from
Australia was because the minister for immigration used his discretion to cancel my visa based on his perception that I might create some anti-vax sentiment in the country or in the city, which I completely disagree with", he said.
The 34-year-old superstar also rejected the theory that his visa was cancelled because there was an error in his travel history document, as he declared that the mistake wasn't intentional.
"The visa declaration error was not deliberately made", Djokovic added.
"I was not deported from Australia on the basis that I was not vaccinated, or I broke any rules, or that I made an error in my visa declaration," he concluded.
