Djoker’s lawyers smash visa ’mash up’

The hearing was due to start at 10am on Monday in the Federal Circuit Court but error messages reading “server too busy” and “this site can’t be reached” displayed for the livestream. Another read there was a “temporary disruption” in the proceeding but the hearing started without members of the media and public unable to log on until after 10.30am. Lawyers for the World No 1 argue his visa shouldn’t have been cancelled and must be reinstated so he can compete in the tournament due to kick off next week.They are arguing about the notice of intention to cancel the Serbian player’s visa and the delegate who made the call used a “mash up” of two grounds under the system.“It’s a confusing blend of two distinct grounds of cancellation,“ barrister Nicholas Wood SC tells the court.It came after Judge Anthony Kelly warned lawyers not to use acronyms in court.“You’re going to have to drag yourself back to the last century. I hate acronyms,” Mr Kelly said.“There’ll be no NOICs, there’ll be no oinks and there will be nothing else of that nature,“ he said.In documents lawyers for the players said Djokovic received a positive PCR test result on December 16 and Tennis Australia’s top doctor granted him a medical exemption on December 30, on the grounds he recently recovered from Covid-19. He also claimed he was granted an exemption following advice from the federal government’s expert immunisation body and proper procedural process wasn’t followed. But in documents filed on Sunday night the Australian government defended its decision in a 13-page submission. The unvaccinated player allegedly poses a “greater health risk of contracting Covid-19 and spreading Covid-19 to others” which would “further burden” Australia’s health system, the documents read. Djokovic is at an immigration detention hotel in Carlton, where supporters and refugee advocates continued to gather since his visa was cancelled on January 6. Asylum seekers have been held at the facility for months, with lawyers previously arguing it was unfit to house them because of a Covid outbreak.Djokovic has won the Australian Open nine times and was seeking a 10th title, which would eclipse rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.