Courtney Walsh and Byron Kaye

MELBOURNE (Reuters – Novak Djokovic was challenged by Australian authorities on Saturday for being denied entry into Australia. The tennis star, who is the world number 1, claimed that he already had visa clearance and could enter Australia after undergoing COVID-19 treatment last month.

The court filing by the Serbian star confirms that he has contracted the coronavirus. The controversy over Australia’s treatment of the medical exemption granted by Australia to its vaccination rules has escalated, causing a significant uproar in tennis world.

After his visa was cancelled for reasons beyond his control, Djokovic has been living in Melbourne since Thursday as a protester of vaccination mandates. He is hoping to win 21 Grand Slams at the Australian Open.

As Australia claims Serbia is holding Djokovic in prison, the drama has turned into a diplomatic matter. The controversy has been a major issue for anti-vaccine advocates around the world.

He filed his paperwork ahead of Monday’s court hearing over the cancellation of his visa. It stated that Djokovic received an exemption from Tournament Australia and a follow up letter from the Department of Home Affairs confirming that he was permitted to enter the country.

Djokovic states in the filing that he explained his COVID experience in December 2021.

Djokovic said he was told by Australian Border Force Officers “that I had accurately completed my Australian Travel Declaration” and that all other requirements were met in order for me to legally enter Australia with my visa.

Djokovic received his COVID-19-positive test results on Dec. 16, and by December 30, he had not experienced any COVID-19 symptoms or fever in 72 hours. According to the filing, Djokovic was sent a document by Home Affairs on Jan. 1 informing him that his responses showed that he satisfied all requirements for an Australian quarantine-free entry.

Home Affairs must respond by Sunday according to a federal court order. A unit within Home Affairs called the Border Force. They did not reply to Reuters’ request on Saturday.

January 17th is the start of The Australian Open

Although many countries permit a COVID infected person to qualify for exemptions from vaccine requirements, Australia’s federal government issued a statement shortly after Djokovic arrived. It stated that Tennis Australia had informed it that this was not the case.

Tennis Australia and the Victorian and federal governments have both denied any responsibility.

Czech soccer player Renata Voracova was also held in the same hotel detention as Djokovic. Her visa was revoked because of issues with her exemption.

Although her destination wasn’t immediately known, she said to Czech media that she was waiting for permission to travel to the Czech Republic after she had decided not to appeal this decision.

‘NOT MISLED’

Djokovic’s court filing confirmed a media report that Djokovic requested to be transferred to accommodations with tennis courts access, but was refused. Many asylum seekers are also staying at the Park Hotel where Djokovic is currently staying.

According to the filing, the fabled athlete expressed shock, surprise, and confusion when held over night. He had a bed set up near the airport interview area so that he could relax while waiting for the next morning, when he would have the opportunity to meet with legal representatives and Tennis Australia.

The filing claims that Djokovic was forced to give an interview by Customs officers before either had ever spoken to him.

Tennis Australia claimed it has never misled its players. After News Corp (NASDAQ) newspapers published an apparently advisory document from the organisation, which advised players how to get into the country without a vaccination exemption, Tennis Australia stated that they had always encouraged players to get vaccinated.

Tennis Australia stated in a statement, quoted by local media: “We have been consistent in our communication to players that vaccinations are the best course-of action — not only as the right thing do to protect others but also as the best way to ensure they can arrive in Australia.”

“We completely reject the notion that the playing group was intentionally misled.

Tennis Australia’s advice was founded on the content of a federal website, to which the federal minister had referred it.

Tennis Australia declined to comment on Reuters’s requests.

According to News Corp’s information sheet on the group, players can enter the country after obtaining an “overseas” medical exemption that has been reviewed by an Australian physician. The data is then stored in a central database.

News Corp said that players were given the document last month. News Corp reported that the Federal Government released a November letter to Tennis Australia stating that prior COVID-19 infection was not sufficient for Australian exemption.

According to video posted on Saturday, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley has defended his organisation’s actions.

Tiley addressed the staff of Tennis Australia in a speech uploaded to News Corp sites. He stated that he would share the whole story but had to be constrained by Djokovic’s challenge to his visa cancellation.

In the video, he stated that “We have chosen not to make this public” and added that there was a lawsuit pertaining to Australia entry.