outside the court, many of his fans were still in shock, and emotions were high. it s disgraceful. how was his first visa. .. how did the first court ruling rule in his favour, but now it ruled against him? why? novak came here to play tennis. i can t understand what kind of threat novak to this country. and serbia s president was even more indignant. he came there with a medical exemption proposal, and then you were mistreating him for ten days. why did you do it, and then doing that witches hunt campaign against him? that is something that no one can understand. this was a high stakes court battle for both sides. the government has been publicly embarrassed by its mishandling of the controversy. everything s been so close to the wire with this case. we re less than 2a hours away from the australian open. novak djokovic was actually due
to play on the first day, but instead of staying and defending his title, he s had to leave the country. djokovic said he felt uncomfortable that all the attention has been on him, and that he now hopes it turns to tennis and the tournament he loves. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, melbourne. let s go to novak djokovic s home country now and our correspondent guy de launey, who s in the serbian capital, belgrade. once again sport has become political. it once again sport has become olitical. . . , once again sport has become olitical. . ., , ., once again sport has become -olitical. . ., , ., . political. it certainly has done. we were getting political. it certainly has done. we were getting some political. it certainly has done. we were getting some political- were getting some political reaction. you heard a little extract there from the president. i was talking to him a few hours ago because, of course, novak djokovic has had support from the very highest level of serbian government
despite the scandalous behaviour towards novak, we always believed that sport would win. the sport confirmed that he had a valid visa but in the end it didn t work out for him. they say, these are difficult times for it novak. we will support him as his family to regain his faith in sport and fair play, which was completely absent here. he is a great champion and a great man. so that is the official family statement. we have also heard lines in serbia from novak s father, srdjan djokovic. he said, this was an assassination attempt on the best sportsman in the world, with 50 bullets to novak s chest. once again being a little less measured than the official family statement. everton have sacked their manager today. it follows their defeat, 2 1,
novak djokovic was actually due to play on the first day, but instead of staying and defending his title, he s had to leave the country. djokovic said he felt uncomfortable that all the attention has been on him, and that he now hopes it turns to tennis and the tournament he loves. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, melbourne. aleksandar miladinovic is from bbc serbian and joins us from belgrade. what is the reaction been from novak djokovic s family? the what is the reaction been from novak djokovic s family? djokovic s family? the family stated its disappointment djokovic s family? the family stated its disappointment with djokovic s family? the family stated its disappointment with the - djokovic s family? the family stated its disappointment with the fact - its disappointment with the fact that djokovic has to return from melbourne and was extradited, basically, without his visa. the family also said it is all about politics and other interests, as they said in their written statement.
the tennis star novak djokovic has deen deported from australia after losing his attempt to have the government s decision to remove his visa overturned. a federal court upheld the decision to cancel his visa on the grounds that the world men s number one s refusal to be vaccinated against covid made him a threat to public health. the serbian prime minster accused australia of a witch hunt. mr djokovic s family say they are very disappointed by the ruling, claiming the decision was not about sport, but politics. from melbourne, shaimaa khalil has the latest. for days, he s been fighting to stay in australia. but novak djokovic has finally conceded he has to go after three judges upheld the government s decision to cancel his visa. the amended application. the immigration minister had argued that the unvaccinated tennis star s presence here could bolster anti vaccination sentiment, with the government s lawyer describing him as an icon for anti vaxx communities. in his statement, the