Novak Djokovic has been deported after losing a last-ditch court plea to stay in Australia,
After the government cancelled his visa on “health and good order” grounds, the unvaccinated tennis star filed a challenge, but the judges dismissed it.
Djokovic expressed his disappointment but accepted the decision.
He has boarded a plane to Dubai.
It brings an end to a 10-day ordeal in which the Serb fought to stay in the Australian Open to defend his championship.
Outside the courtroom, Djokovic’s fans fell silent as the verdict was made on the eve of what would have been his first match of the tournament.
Without the 34-year old competing at the Open, one fan told the BBC that her summer would be “empty.”
While Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison praised “the choice to maintain our borders strong and keep Australians secure,” his administration has come under fire for its handling of the situation both at home and overseas.
Djokovic filed his lawsuit after Immigration Minister Alex Hawke revoked his visa, claiming that his presence in the country could inflame anti-vaccine sentiment.
Also read: Australia Revokes Novak Djokovic’s Visa Again
Djokovic’s defense argued unsuccessfully before a three-judge panel on Sunday that the government’s arguments were unreasonable because deporting the tennis star would risk stoking anti-vaccine sentiment.
The court’s decision was focused on the minister’s legality, not whether it was the proper decision to make, according to Chief Justice James Allsop.
In the next days, he vowed to provide the complete explanation behind the decision.
The player’s attempt to enter Australia without getting vaccinated against Covid 19 has sparked widespread outrage in Australia.
The federal government has repeatedly stated that no one is “above the law” and that people must follow the strict laws in place to deal with the pandemic.
