Novak Djokovic court application for Australian medical exemption reveals positive Covid-19 test in December | Tennis News

Djokovic is being held in isolation in Melbourne, awaiting the outcome of an appeal against the decision by the Australian Border Force (ABF) to cancel his entry visa and deport him; the reigning Australian Open champion’s appeal is set to be heard on Monday

Novak Djokovic is currently staying at an immigration detention centre in Melbourne

Novak Djokovic’s appeal to enter Australia with a medical exemption is based upon a recent positive Covid-19 test, a court filing submitted by his lawyers on Saturday has revealed.

The world No 1 contracted Covid-19 last month but was not experiencing symptoms and had written clearance from Australia’s immigration department before travelling to the country with a medical exemption from its vaccination rules, his lawyers said.

Djokovic, who is in immigration detention in Australia after having his visa cancelled on arrival on Thursday, returned his first positive coronavirus test on December 16, 2021, but 14 days later “had not had a fever or respiratory symptoms of Covid-19 in the last 72 hours”, the filing said.

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Novak Djokovic supporters gather outside the Melbourne hotel where he is being detained

On January 1, the Serb received a “a document from the Department of Home Affairs (which) told Mr Djokovic that his ‘responses indicate(d) that (he met) the requirements for a quarantine-free arrival into Australia”, the documents added.

Djokovic, an outspoken critic of mandatory vaccination, has never disclosed his own vaccination status. He is challenging his visa cancellation in Australia’s federal court in hopes of winning his 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open which starts on January 17.

The 34-year-old’s appeal against the decision by the Australian Border Force (ABF) is set to be heard on Monday.

More to follow…

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