New information casts doubt on Novak Djokovic letter

A letter Novak Djokovic’s lawyers claim cleared him for travel was self-generated on an Australian government travelling app, providing no iron-clad guarantee of his entry.

A letter Novak Djokovic’s lawyers claim cleared him for quarantine-free travel was self-generated on an Australian government travelling app, providing no iron-clad guarantee of his entry into the country.

New information has cast doubt on Federal Circuit Court documents submitted by legal representation for the Serbian tennis star, which said he had received the correspondence from the Department of Home Affairs on January 1, giving him the green light to enter Australia.

But The Australian understands the ostensible letter is based on data provided by the traveller to the Australian Travel Declaration app, providing a preliminary indication of the traveller’s eligibility to enter the country.

It does not validate whether the passenger has a valid visa, travel exemption or provides approvals for entry into Australia.

Crucially, as spelt out in the information for ATD in the App Store: “The successful submission of your declaration does not guarantee entry into Australia”.

The letter received by Djokovic stated his Australia Travel Declaration had been assessed and his responses “indicated that he met the requirements for a quarantine-free arrival into Australia where permitted by the jurisdiction of arrival”.

The development comes after a bid by the federal government to delay tomorrow’s court hearing for Djokovic has been refused. Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews on Saturday applied for the hearing to be moved from Monday to Wednesday, less than a week before the Australian Open is due to begin.

But Federal Circuit Court Judge Anthony Kelly denied the application and the matter is slated to be heard from 10am Monday when Djokovic’s team are due to make oral submissions.

It is possible the tennis star himself will give testimony to the court.

Members of the local Serbian community hold flags and banners outside a government detention centre where Serbia's tennis champion Novak Djokovic is staying in Melbourne on January 8, 2022, after he was dramatically refused entry to Australia over his Covid-19 vaccine status. Picture: William WEST / AFP

Djokovic received a visa to enter Australia on November 18, before receiving an exemption certificate from Tennis Australia’s chief medical officer, court documents reveal. The document noted the world number one had tested positive on December 16, confirmed by a PCR test.

After touching down at Tullamarine Airport late on January 5, Djokovic was held by Australian Border Force officials for almost 12-hours, and was told contracting the virus was not considered a medical contraindication for vaccination in Australia.

According to a transcript provided in court documents, Djokovic rejected the position of Australian authorities.

“I explained that I had been recently infected with Covid in December 2021 and on this basis I was entitled to a medical exemption in accordance with Australian Government rules and guidance,” he said.

Djokovic claims he was told by Australia’s Department of Home Affairs that he had met the requirements for quarantine-free entry as an unvaccinated traveller. In the submission presented to the Court late on Saturday, it revealed Djokovic tested positive to Covid on December 16 via a PCR test at the Institute of Public Health of Serbia.

However, in photos posted on his own Instagram account on December 17, Djokovic attended a Serbia Post ceremony where he shook hands and walked mask-free with guests upon presentation of a postage stamp in his honour.

It is unclear if Djokovic had received his positive diagnosis at the time of the photos, or if he was still awaiting his results, however the fact he is freely socialising with the public having known he’d taken a PCR test is further proof of his disregard for the seriousness of the virus or the impact it could have on other peoples’ health.