Aussies revoke Djokovic’s visa
BRISBANE, Australia —
Novak Djokovic’s chance to play for a 10th Australian Open title was thrown into limbo Thursday when the country denied him entry and canceled his visa because he failed to meet the requirements for an exemption to COVID-19 vaccination rules.
The top-ranked Djokovic announced on social media Tuesday that he had “exemption permission” and he landed in Australia late Wednesday with a medical exemption from the Victoria state government that was expected to shield him from the strict vaccination regulations in place for this year’s first major tennis tournament.
But national border authorities didn’t accept the exemption, with the Australian Border Force issuing a statement saying Djokovic failed to meet entry requirements.
The 20-time major winner was detained overnight at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, where he had to wait more than eight hours at to find out if he would be allowed into the country. He was later moved to a secure hotel near downtown Melbourne.
The Australian Broadcasting Corp. and other local media reported that action had been launched in the Federal Court against the cancellation of Djokovic’s visa. Barty downs Gauff: Top-ranked Ash Barty survived a tough opener to her 2022 season, having to rally from a set and a break down to beat 17-year-old American Coco Gauff 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of the Adelaide International in Australia.
SOCCER Cordeiro wants his old job back
Carlos Cordeiro is running to regain his job as U.S. Soccer Federation president, two years after he quit amid a backlash to the group’s lawyers filing legal papers claiming the women’s national team players had less physical ability and responsibility than their male counterparts.
Cordeiro was immediately criticized by women’s national team star midfielder Megan Rapinoe, who accused him in a tweet of allowing “caveman levels of misogyny.” USWNT’s SheBelieves
Cup sechedule set: The U.S. women’s national team will play Iceland, New Zealand and the Czech Republic in the SheBelieves Cup tournament next month. The seventh annual event will be take place Feb. 17-23 at venues in Carson, Calif., and Frisco. St. Louis hires coach: The new MLS team in St. Louis has named Bradley
Carnell as head coach. Carnell, 44, will lead St. Louis City SC when the expansion team joins the league in 2023. Messi tests negative: Superstar Lionel Messi returned to France from Argentina after testing negative for the coronavirus and will rejoin the Paris Saint-Germain squad in training in the “next few days,” the club said.
NHL Benn, Stars set to take ice again
The Dallas Stars and captain Jamie Benn are preparing to return to the ice after missing six games over 2½ weeks because of COVID-19 issues.
Dallas is getting ready to play for the first time in 17 days after Benn and 10 other Dallas players went through protocols since their last game Dec. 20. The Stars get them all back before a home game Thursday night against Florida.
The league postponed three more games in Canadian cities because of the current attendance restrictions in some provinces. The games — New Jersey at Montreal on Saturday night, New Jersey at Toronto on Jan. 17 and Chicago at Edmonton on Jan. 18 — will be rescheduled for later in the season when such restrictions may be eased or lifted.
WINTER OLYMPICS IOC promises no alterations
A day after Switzerland’s team leader asked for talks about possibly postponing the Beijing Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic, the IOC promised officials worldwide the Winter Games will go ahead as planned.
The Swiss Olympic committee said the IOC gave assurances about staging next month’s event during a video conference call with teams.
MISCELLANEOUS Notre Dame great Browner dies
Ross Browner, a twotime All-American at Notre Dame and one of four brothers who played in the NFL, has died. He was 67.
Browner was a four-year starter for the Fighting Irish, winning national titles in 1973 and 1977.
Cincinnati selected Browner eighth overall in the 1978 NFL draft and he was a part of the first Bengals team to reach the Super Bowl in 1981. Fox gains Belmont: The Belmont Stakes is moving to Fox Sports as part of an eight-year deal beginning in 2023. The Triple Crown race has aired since 2011 on NBC.