Australian authorities have revealed why they are not letting tennis star Novak Djokovic into the country, The Guardian reports.
The world No. 1 flew into Melbourne airport on Wednesday night with plans to defend his Australian Open title.
Instead, he is being held in a quarantine hotel, where he is set to be deported due to his unvaccinated status.
The Guardian states that the Australian Border Force held Djokovic for several hours at the airport before declaring his visa had been canceled.
In a statement, they said that the tennis star had “failed to provide appropriate evidence” to support his claim that he is exempt from Australia's requirement to be double vaccinated against Covid-19.
"The Australian Border Force will continue to ensure that those who arrive at our border comply with our laws and entry requirements," ABF said. "The ABF can confirm that Mr Djokovic failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently canceled."
“Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry or who have had their visa canceled will be detained and removed from Australia,” the statement concluded.
Djokovic has refused to reveal his vaccination status but claimed to have secured a medical exemption on Tuesday. Both Tennis Australia and the Victorian government confirmed his exemption.
While this seemingly cleared the way for Djokovic to compete in the Australian Open, Tennis Australia was not the only authority he had to appease.
Reports suggest that although he had a medical exemption to compete, the star did not have a valid visa to enter the country - something which the federal government had not granted him.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously said: "There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic at all. None whatsoever."
Aside from confirming that he tested positive for Covid-19 back in May 2020, Djokovic has been vague about both his vaccination status and his reason for seemingly seeking an exemption.
The world No. 1 tennis pro has instructed his lawyer to appeal his visa cancellation.
The Australian Open is set to begin on January 17, with or without its defending champion.