UN, Jan 16 First Deputy Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Dmitry Polyansky called the decision shameful Australian authorities to block the participation of Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open. On Sunday, the Federal Court of Australia rejected Djokovic's appeal, the 34-year-old athlete leaves the country and will not be able to defend the title at the Australian Open. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed the court's decision, which he believes will «keep our borders strong and keep Australians safe.» «What a shameful decision to ban Novak Djokovic from the Australian Open! Politics should not get in the way of sport. I wish Novak new victories, and the Australian audience is clearly on the losing side in this dispute, which was overshadowed by the competition itself,» Polyansky wrote on his Twitter. Djokovic arrived in Australia to participate in the Australian Open on January 5. The next day, he was placed in an immigration detention center, as the authorities were not convinced of the reasons for the athlete's medical withdrawal from the coronavirus vaccination. Four days later, Djokovic was released from detention by court order, but on Friday, Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke decided to re-revoke the athlete's visa «in the public interest.»
