Djokovic declared he had not travelled for 14 days before entering
Australia, a claim apparently contradicted by social media posts. His
visa was cancelled, then reinstated on Monday.
The Australian Border Force is investigating whether
Novak Djokovic
incorrectly declared he had not travelled and would not do so for two
weeks before his flight to Australia, in the latest twist in the tennis
star’s visa cancellation saga. Questions have
been raised about the declaration completed by an agent for Djokovic,
with social media posts seemingly showing he was in Belgrade on
Christmas Day before flying to Australia from Spain on 4 January.
Despite a win in court restoring his visa on Monday,
Djokovic’s fate will now be determined by Australia’s immigration
minister, Alex Hawke, due to his personal power to again cancel the visa
and deport the world’s No 1 male tennis player. Any
decision to recancel the visa would likely be met by a fresh legal
challenge from Djokovic, and a request for an injunction to stay out of
immigration detention so that he could play in the
Australian Open,
where he is chasing a male record 21st grand slam singles title.
In his Australian traveller declaration, filed on 1
January, Djokovic declared “no” when asked: “Have you travelled or will
you travel in the 14 days prior to your flight to Australia?” The
declaration is accompanied with a warning that giving false or
misleading information is a “serious offence”, also punishable by civil
penalties.