- Tennis star Novak Djokovic has had his visa canceled again.
- Australia's immigration minister Alex Hawke made the decision to revoke Djokovic's visa in the "public interest."
- This means that Djokovic could be deported from Australia very soon.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic has had his visa canceled by the Australian immigration authorities again, casting doubt over whether he'll be able to remain in the country and play in the Australian Open.
Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke issued a statement on Friday, saying he had canceled Djokovic's visa in the "public interest."
"Today, I exercised my power under section 133C(3) of the Migration Act to cancel the visa held by Mr. Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so," read Hawke's statement.
"This decision followed orders by the Federal Circuit and Family Court on 10 January 2022, quashing a prior cancellation decision on procedural fairness grounds," it continued.
Hawke did not specify if Djokovic would be deported or if he would be subsequently banned from entering the country.
The statement posted on the Australian Home Affairs website included additional information, noting that Hawke, as minister for immigration, had discretionary powers to cancel visas. It further stated that an individual in Djokovic's scenario might not be granted a visa for up to three years following the cancellation.
This announcement follows an investigation from Hawke, which revealed that Djokovic gave false information to border officials when he tried to enter Australia.
Djokovic's visa was first revoked upon his arrival in Australia on January 6, when Australian border officials found that he "failed to provide appropriate evidence" to prove he had received a vaccine exemption. Djokovic is not vaccinated.
An Australian court overturned the decision to cancel the tennis star's visa on Monday. Hawke's order overrides the court's decision.
According to the Australian news network ABC, Djokovic's legal team intends to appeal against the minister's decision to allow the tennis star to remain and play in the Australian Open.
The Australian Open is slated to begin on Monday, January 17. At press time, Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open champion, was still listed in the draw for the tournament.