How Djokovic’s vaccine scepticism fuelled an international sporting controversy

Last Thursday, in the early hours of January 6th, Novak Djokovic was denied entry into Australia. The Serbian tennis superstar, who is not vaccinated against Covid-19, had been granted a medical exemption to play in the Australian Open. However, upon arrival in Melbourne, his visa was revoked.

On Monday, Djokovic won an appeal against Australia’s decision not to grant him a visa and was released from the immigration detention centre where he was staying.

However, Djokovic's fate remains uncertain – Australia's immigration minister could still overrule the decision and send him back to Belgrade. But Djokovic has made it clear he wants to stay and compete in next week's tournament.

Djokovic is a character who can “polarise” people and thrives on the friction he creates through “his politics, his anti-vaxx stance or his conspiracy theories,” Irish Times sports writer Johnny Watterson told In the News.