‘He is not being held captive. If he wants to go, he is free to do so’
NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S detention has caused a major diplomatic incident between Australia and Serbia, with Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic claiming Djokovic was the victim of ‘political persecution’ by the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and others in the country’s government.
However, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews seemed in little mood to back down yesterday.
And Andrews maintained Djokovic was not being detained under duress, telling ABC: ‘(He) is not being held captive in Australia. He is free to leave at any time that he chooses to do so and Border Force will actually facilitate that.’ Andrews also confirmed all other players with exemptions would be looked at closely.
‘As people come into Australia, they need to have met our entry requirements as well as having a visa,’ she told Channel 9 news.
‘They stand the risk, if they come in and don’t have the proper documentation, that they will be stopped at the border and will go through exactly the same process which is being played out now.
‘He (Djokovic) hasn’t met the entry requirements — there is a lot of chatter about the visa, but that in my understanding is not the issue, it is the entry requirements... that he was not able to produce the evidence which was needed for entry into Australia.’
Australian Open organisers have been notably quiet since Djokovic’s detention and much of the focus now is on how there could have been such an apparent discrepancy between what players were told regarding exemptions and the stance of the Border Force.
And Czech player Renata Voracova yesterday became the second Australian Open participant to be held in detention.
Voracova (pictured) played in Melbourne earlier this week but has been asked to leave Australia after her detention by Border Force officials.
The Czech Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Voracova had decided to leave the country.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) said an individual had left the country voluntarily while a third had been taken into immigration detention, without naming the Czech player. ‘The ABF can confirm that one individual has voluntarily departed Australia following ABF inquiries,’ the ABF said.
‘We can also confirm that the visa of a third individual has been cancelled. This person has been taken into immigration detention pending their removal from Australia.’
The Czech Foreign Ministry added that it had lodged a formal protest through its embassy in Canberra.
Voracova was a promising junior who won the French Open girls doubles title in 2001.
The 38-year-old made her grand slam singles debut in 2002 in New York but has won only one of her 12 matches at the majors and is currently ranked 81.
She has fared far better in doubles, winning 11 titles and reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2017. Voracova has career earnings of $1.88million.
She is being held at the Park Hotel in Carlton, the same hotel where Djokovic is being detained.