Novak Djokovic Covid visa ban a ‘political witch hunt’: Serbian President

Serbia’s president has accused Scott Morrison of staging a “political witch hunt” and Novak Djokovic’s parents unleashed.

World tennis number one Novak Djokovic is a victim of a ‘political witch hunt’ claimed Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday after Australian authorities said he failed to meet the country’s stringent pandemic entry requirements.

The 34-year-old tennis champion’s lawyers are appealing the decision which, if it fails, would see him deported from Australia.

The vaccine-sceptic Djokovic was detained on arrival at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport having failed to “provide appropriate evidence” of double vaccination or a medical exemption.

The Serbian Djokovic flew into Melbourne on Wednesday having been granted a medical exemption by the Australian Open organisers.

Novak Djokovic captured as he arrived into Australia and had his visa denied. Picture: 9 NEWS

He was hoping to defend his Australian Open crown and claim an unprecedented 21st Grand Slam title.

Mr Vucic, though, claimed Djokovic was being unfairly persecuted as other tennis players had been permitted to enter Australia with medical exemptions.

“What is not fair-play is the political witch hunt (being conducted against Novak), by everybody including the Australian Prime Minister pretending that the rules apply to all,” Mr Vucic told the media.

Mr Vucic said the Australian ambassador had been contacted twice by Serbian authorities and Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabic will be in touch with a senior member of Australia’s Home Affairs department.

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic has said Novak Djokovic is a victim of a 'political witch hunt'. Picture: AFP

“The whole of Serbia is with him and … our authorities are undertaking all measures in order that maltreatment of the world’s best tennis player ends as soon as possible,” Mr Vucic said after speaking with Djokovic over the phone.

“In line with all standards of international public law, Serbia will fight for Novak Djokovic, justice and truth.”

Novak Djokovic’s family have said he is the victim of “a political agenda” aimed at “stomping on Serbia” as protesters in Belgrade called for his release and Serbia’s president insisted “the whole country” was behind him.

Djokovic was being “persecuted”, Srdjan Djokovic said.

Dijana Djokovic (L) mother and Srdan Djokovic (R) father of Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic attend a rally in front of Serbia's National Assembly. Picture: Getty

“Jesus was crucified on the cross, and everything was done to him, but he is alive among us even now. Now Novak is being crucified, they are doing everything to him.

“They’re keeping him in captivity. They’re stomping all over him to stomp all over Serbia and the Serbian people. (Scott) Morrison (Australia’s prime minister) and his like have dared attack Novak to bring Serbia to its knees.

“This has nothing to do with sports, this is a political agenda. Novak is the best player and the best athlete in the world, but several hundred million people from the west can’t stomach that.”

Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup trophy during a photo shoot at the Brighton Beach in Melbourne, in happier times. Picture: AFP

Djokovic’s mother, Dijana, said: “Our Novak, our pride,” she said. “Novak is Serbia, and Serbia is Novak. They want to clip his wings, but we know how strong he is.”

“It’s just not fair – it’s not human.

“I just hope that he will be strong as we are trying also to be very strong to give him some energy to keep on going.

“I hope that he will win.”

John Findley, an Australian immigration lawyer, said both the state and Djokovic would have to answer some tough questions in court.

“If they see he has provided false information, he must have a chance to answer that,” Mr Findley said.

Experts said that charge could bring a three-year ban from applying for another Australian visa.

But Mr Findley also said the visa revocation seems to have come from “a pile on from social media” and government would need to explain the legal bar that Djokovic failed to meet.

Tournament organisers also face difficult questions.

Members of the local Serbian community gather outside a hotel where Serbia's tennis champion Novak Djokovic is reported to be detained in Melbourne. Picture: AFP

The Serbians will ask the Australian authorities that at the very least Djokovic can stay, while his appeal is heard, in the house in Melbourne he had rented for the Australian Open (which runs from January 17 to January 30) and not in the hotel he has been sent to.

Mr Vucic described Djokovic’s treatment as being “infamous in the proper sense of the term.” “I fear that this relentless political pursuit of Novak will continue until the moment they can prove something, because when you cannot defeat somebody then you turn to these type of things,” said Mr Vucic.

It comes as Rafael Nadal — who like Djokovic and Roger Federer is stuck on a record-equalling 20 Grand Slam wins — said his rival must face the consequences of not being vaccinated.

“He made his own decisions, and everybody is free to take their own decisions, but then there are some consequences,” the Spaniard said.

However, American pro tennis player Tennys Sandgren tweeted his disagreement with Australian authorities:

Just to be crystal clear here

2 separate medical boards approved his exemption

And politicians are stopping it

Australia doesn’t deserve to host a grand slam https://t.co/3B6lt4u9Mq

— Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) January 5, 2022

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said Djokovic had no special treatment and just 26 of the approximately 3,000 players and support staff travelling to Australia for the tournament had applied for a vaccine exemption. Only a handful had been successful.

— With AFP wires.