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So when Djokovic landed in Melbourne on January 5 and claimed he couldn't be vaccinated due to a past Covid-19 infection, Australian Border Force officers were quick to act. Perhaps too quick, because days later a judge ruled the Serb hadn't been given enough time to consult his lawyers and ordered his visa to be reinstated, CNN reported.
What do the laws say?
Under Australian law, medical exemptions are only given to people who can prove they've suffered anaphylaxis after a previous dose, or any component of a vaccine, or are significantly immunocompromised. Djovokic didn't fit either category.
On Monday, after being freed from immigration detention, Djokovic started training for a shot at his 21st grand slam title. But his freedom was curtailed four days later when Immigration Minister Alex Hawke revoked his visa, putting the player back in detention.
Ultimately Djokovic's case had nothing to do with whether he satisfied Australia's Covid-19 entry requirements. Nor did it seem to be a problem that his travel declaration misstated his movements in the 14 days before his arrival in Australia.
Instead the minister found he posed a risk to public health and order because, as a celebrity sportsman who had previously expressed opposition to vaccination, he could be seen as an "icon" for anti-vaxxers.
Australia is home to a small but determined anti-vaccine movement, which last year held protests across the country to demonstrate against the government's vaccine program and pandemic measures.
But Greg Barns, a barrister and spokesperson for the Australian Lawyers Alliance, told CNN that the decision sets a "dangerous precedent" because the purpose of Djokovic's visit was to play tennis -- not to spread his views on Covid-19 vaccines.
"Effectively, what the government is saying is that if you're a high-profile person, and you have particular views with which the government disagrees ... then the government reserves the right to either cancel your visa while you're in the country or not grant a visa."