Novak Djokovic facing ‘ban from Australia for three years’ after visa cock-up

Novak Djokovic is potentially facing a three-year ban from Australia due to his visa cock-up for the Australian Open.

The tennis world number one arrived down under on Wednesday under amid a sea of controversy surrounding his Covid-19 vaccination status.

Djokovic had been handed a medical exemption by Tennis Australia to compete at the tournament after refusing to confirm if he had been jabbed.

However, he was detained at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport with it being claimed that the member of his team tasked with arranging his visa had incorrectly filled it out.

And that mistake could prove to be costly.

Djokovic is being kept in an immigration centre where he will remain until Monday when the appeal against his visa cancellation will be heard.

Australian outlet The Age claim that if the challenge is unsuccessful, the federal authorities have 'not ruled out' banning him from entering the country for three years.

They report the dispute centres around the legitimacy of the exemption the 34-year-old was handed.

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It was awarded to him on the basis that he had contracted Covid-19 in the past six months and therefore was unable to be vaccinated.

However, this excuse was rejected by the notoriously strict Australian Border Force.

At that point Djokovic was set to be immediately deported back to his home country of Serbia.

A court ruled to give him an interim injunction to prevent this happening, though.

Tennis Australia claimed other players in the same situation as Djokovic have been allowed into the country.

And that has sparked separate investigations from Border Force.

"I’m aware of those allegations, and I can assure you that the Australian Border Force is investigating that now," Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said.

"ABF needs the opportunity to be able to conduct its investigation. But if the evidence is not there, then they will take the appropriate action."

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