Visa issue turning into diplomatic crisis

Australian PM Scott Morrison

World No.1 tennis player Novak Djokovic's visa being cancelled on his arrival in Melbourne to play in the season-opening Grand Slam, has the potential of turning into a diplomatic crisis between Australia and Serbia.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had re-iterated on Thursday that nobody was above the country's border rules as he ordered cancellation of Djokovic's visa.
On Friday, as the defending Australian Open champion's lawyers tried to get the decision reversed, Serbian president Aleksander Vucic spoke to the media, hitting out at the supposed politics behind Djokovic's detainment.

Djokovic will continue to remain in the Carlton Hotel here until his court hearing resumes on January 10. "What is not fair-play is the political witch hunt [being conducted against Novak], by everybody including the Australian Prime Minister pretending that the rules apply to all," Vucic was quoted as saying by sen.com.au on Friday.

"I fear that this relentless political pursuit of Novak will continue until the moment they can prove something, because when you cannot defeat somebody then you turn to these type of things," added Vucic.

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