After an Australian court decided to cancel his visa and deport him due to his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine, world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic arrived in Dubai today, Monday. Djokovic exited the plane with two bags and a mask after landing at Dubai International Airport at 5:32 local time (01:32 GMT), according to the French Press Agency.
The Australian Federal Court upheld a government decision yesterday, Sunday, to revoke the Serbian tennis star's visa to enter the country, ending his hopes of competing for and winning a record 21st Grand Slam title.
The deportation decision came after the three-judge panel heard from government representatives, who explained that Djokovic's continued presence in the country could promote opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine during the worst wave of infections in Australia since the pandemic began.
It is worth noting that the decision to exempt Djokovic from the vaccination requirement and allow him to enter the country to compete in the season's first major tournament sparked widespread controversy in the country.
Djokovic's case has transcended tennis, becoming a contentious political issue for Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is preparing for elections scheduled for May.
An opponent of the vaccine mandate, Djokovic's situation escalated last week when authorities refused to grant him a visa to enter the country and participate in the famous competition, detaining him in a hotel in Melbourne designated for refugees.
Although he had his ruling reinstated and won an appeal, the Australian government revoked his visa again last Friday, stating that the world number one could pose a risk to the public for not being vaccinated, despite Djokovic revealing days earlier that he had contracted COVID-19 in December 2021.
