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Novak Djokovic freed after he wins court appeal against Australian deportation

World number one free to play Australian Open after judge quashed the cancelation of his visa.

Novak Djokovic has won his appeal against deportation from Australia after the court found the cancellation of his visa 'unreasonable'.
The world number one was detained at the border when travelling to the Australian Open with his medical exemption questioned by Border Force officials.
He then spent the last four days in an Immigration Detention Hotel in Melbourne as he awaited his appeal.
That has now gone in his favour, with the judge ordering him to be released within 30 minutes of his ruling.
The order states: "The respondent, by her servants or agents, including the Australian Border Force, take all steps and do all things as may be necessary to bring the applicant to premises as specified by the applicant's solicitors on Monday, 10 January 2022 (and each day thereafter, including upon the delivery of judgment), to permit him to remain there until the conclusion of each hearing and to secure his safe return to detention upon the conclusion of each hearing."
Djokovic's defence team argued Djokovic was not treated fairly at the airport by officials, who did not provide him with adequate enough opportunity tioi resolve the issue.
Judge Kelly told the court: "What more could this man have done?" and said he was "agitated" about the issue of Djokovic's medical exemption of a previous Covid-19 infection that was verified by appropriate medical professionals.
"Here, a professor and an eminently qualified physician have produced and provided to the applicant a medical exemption," Judge Kelly said.
"Further to that, that medical exemption and the basis on which it was given was separately given by a further independent expert specialist panel established by the Victorian state government and that document was in the hands of the delegate."

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