Summary

  • World No 1 tennis star Novak Djokovic, who has not been vaccinated, has been denied entry to Australia

  • His parents have held a press conference in which they said he was being held as a prisoner by the authorities

  • A court hearing on deporting the Serb star has been adjourned and he remains in a Melbourne detention hotel

  • Speaking about his rival's predicament, Rafael Nadal says the vaccine "is the only way to stop this pandemic"

  • "Everybody is free to take their own decisions, but then there are some consequences," he adds

  • The WHO says the world is seeing a "tsunami" of cases that are overwhelming health systems around the world

  • The UK reported 179,756 new cases on Thursday, plus 231 deaths

  • Covid testing for people travelling to England has "outlived its usefulness", Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says

Live Reporting

Edited by Paul Gribben

  1. Djokovic victim of harassment, says Serbian president

    Djokovic's supporters have gathered outside the Melbourne hotel where he's rumoured to be temporarily heldEPA

    Djokovic's supporters have gathered outside the Melbourne hotel where he's rumoured to be temporarily held

    The row over Novak Djokovic's arrival in Australia has drawn some strong comments from Serbia's leader.

    President Aleksandar Vucic said the Serb sporting star was a victim of "harassment" and the "the whole of Serbia" supported him.

    The player's father, Srdjan Djokovic, has also been complaining, saying his son was initially held in a room guarded by police. "This is not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world," he said.

    Later, the world number one was taken to a government detention hotel. Outside, supporters expressed anger at his treatment. "It's an international scandal and the world is watching," a Serbian woman, called Jelena, told the BBC.

    Australia's PM Scott Morrison denied the visa cancellation was because of "any particular position in relation to Serbia", describing the nation as "a good friend of Australia".

  2. How did Australians react to Djokovic's vaccine exemption?

    Djokovic at Australian Open: 'He might get booed when he gets on court'

    Prior to Novak Djokovic's visa being revoked, the tennis star had been set to play in the Australian Open after being granted an exemption to vaccination rules.

    All players and staff at the tournament must be vaccinated or have an exemption granted by an expert independent panel.

    Djokovic has not spoken about his vaccination status, but last year said he was "opposed to vaccination".

    Organisers say the defending champion has not been given special treatment, but the decision has infuriated many Australians.

    "I think it's a disgrace," Melbourne resident Christine Wharton told ABC.

    "We've all done the right thing, we've all gone out and got our jabs and our boosters and we have someone that has come from overseas and all of a sudden he's been exempt and can play."

    A&E doctor Stephen Parnis tweeted: "I don't care how good a tennis player he is. If he's refusing to get vaccinated, he shouldn't be allowed in."

    Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, one of the greatest players of all time, said the reason for the exemption should be made public, saying the situation "might get ugly".

    "Yes, you're a great player and you've performed and won so many tournaments, so it can't be physical," he said. "So what is the problem?"

    Read more

  3. No-one above the rules, Australia's PM says

    Scott MorrisonReuters

    Scott Morrison said no one was above the rules

    Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has denied that tennis star Novak Djokovic has been singled out by having his visa to enter the country revoked.

    As we have been reporting, Djokovic has been taken to a government detention hotel, with a court set to decide on his deportation on Monday.

    The row is around an exemption Djokovic said he had to play in the Australian Open.

    Morrison says Djokovic's stance on vaccination had drawn attention.

    "When you get people making public statements - of what they say they have, and what they are going to do, and what their claims are - well, they draw significant attention to themselves," Morrison told reporters.

    Though Djokovic's reason for an exemption has not been disclosed, Morrison says contracting Covid-19 in the past six months was not among federal criteria for one, and that the ABF had previously advised Tennis Australia on visa expectations.

  4. We need to get vaccinated, says Nadal

    Covid test centre in Sydney on 4 January 2022EPA

    Rafa Nadal has also been speaking more widely about Covid and vaccination.

    In his comments about Australia's decision to refuse Novak Djokovic entry to the country, Nadal said the pandemic has been "very challenging" for the whole world.

    "A lot of families have been suffering a lot during the last two years," he adds.

    Djokovic's claim he had been granted a vaccine exemption to play in the Australian Open infuriated many in a country that has seen a surge in Covid-19 cases, and where over 90% of those over 16 are fully vaccinated

    Nadal told reporters: "It's normal that the people here in Australia get very frustrated with the case because they have been going through a lot of very hard lockdowns."

    He adds "the only thing that I can say is I believe in what the people who knows about medicine say, and if the people say that we need to get vaccinated, we need to get the vaccine".

  5. Nadal: Djokovic aware of potential problems

    Rafa NadalEPA

    Tennis star Rafa Nadal says he "feels sorry" for Novak Djokovic after his Serbian rival was denied entry into Australia - but said the player knew for months he could potentially face problems over his vaccination status.

    Djokovic has refused publicly to reveal whether he has been jabbed, but has previously voiced opposition to being jabbed and suggested last week he had been granted a visa exemption to allow him to play in the Australian Open.

    Nadal, who contracted Covid last month, was speaking in Melbourne, where he is playing in a tournament ahead of the Open.

    He says "the only for me clear thing is if you are vaccinated, you can play in the Australian Open and everywhere, and the world in my opinion have been suffering enough to not follow the rules".

    Djokovic, he adds, "made his own decisions, and everybody is free to take their own decisions, but then there are some consequences".

  6. Djokovic court hearing adjourned

    Australia will not immediately deport tennis player Novak Djokovic, a government lawyer has told a court hearing.

    Lawyers for the Serbian tennis star had challenged the decision of the Australian authorities on Wednesday to deny him entry amid claims over a reported vaccination exemption.

    The case has now been adjourned and the world number one tennis player has been moved to a quarantine hotel until a further legal hearing takes place on Monday.

    Border officials said Djokovic failed to provide adequate proof he was medically exempt from the requirement for visitors to be double vaccinated against Covid.

    An earlier decision by Tennis Australia to grant Djokovic an exemption to play in the Australian Open prompted strong public criticism.

    Australian PM praises border force for blocking Djokovic

  7. What do we know about the Djokovic row?

    What was meant to be the start of a new year of tennis glory has turned into a diplomatic storm.

    The world's number one male player has found himself sitting in Australian hotel detention awaiting possible deportation rather than preparing for a competition he has won many times.

    How did this come to pass and what has the reaction been in Australia and in Novak Djokovic's home country of Serbia?

    Read more here.

  8. Analysis

    Analysis: Glaring questions remain over visa row

    Shaimaa Khalil
    BBC News, Sydney

    "Rules are rules," Australia's prime minister says, about Novak Djokovic being deported. Scott Morrison is back to talking tough but so far he has not explained or answered the glaring questions at the heart of this story.

    What is the issue with Djokovic's visa? What was the medical reason for his exemption?

    And why had he been given the green light to fly and take part in the Australian Open if there are issues with his visa application? Big enough issues, it seems, for the player to get deported.

    Remember, while his vaccine exemption has caused a great deal of anger among Australians - who for months now have been urged to get the jab - Djokovic is not the only player who was granted one.

    Tennis Australia said that a handful of the 26 athletes who applied were given an exemption. Who are they? Why are their cases different from Djokovic's?

    The decision about the Serb star has sparked anger overseas but the PM is hoping the decision will go down well among Australians.

    Mr Morrison has been under immense political pressure over his government's handling of the Omicron variant, amid rocketing numbers of cases and chaos at testing clinics. All with a looming election in the next few months.

  9. Australia revokes Djokovic entry visa

    Novak Djokovic on court at playPA wire

    Novak Djokovic has had his visa to enter Australia revoked on his arrival in Melbourne and the tennis world number one was held in the city's airport for several hours on Wednesday before border officials announced he had not met entry rules and would be deported.

    Djokovic was then taken to a government detention hotel and his lawyers have launched an urgent appeal in court.

    This follows a massive backlash over a vaccine exemption Djokovic said he got to play in the Australian Open.

    The Serbian player has not spoken about his vaccination status, but last year he said he was "opposed to vaccination".

    Read more about this story here.

  10. Good morning and welcome

    Welcome to our live coverage of the Covid pandemic.

    Wednesday saw a series of Covid rule changes in the UK - including to testing and self-isolation in England and Scotland, as well as confirmation that England will stick with Plan B measures. We expect further reaction to the announcements today.

    Meanwhile, tennis star Novak Djokovic, is facing deportation from Australia following a backlash over a vaccine exemption he was reportedly given.

    Stay with us for all the latest updates.