Novak Djokovic may be free to return for January's Australian Open despite being banned for up to three years from applying for a visa after being deported earlier this year.
The new Labor government has opened a door by relaxing its rules on international arrivals with foreigners no longer having to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status.
The unvaccinated Djokovic was at the centre of an international media frenzy when the Morrison government twice cancelled his visa in January this year, with Djokovic winning one court challenge but failing in a second before being deported.
Under Australian law, a deportation order is accompanied by an exclusion period of up to three years.
The Ticket can confirm Djokovic's management team is aware of the relaxation of the government's immigration requirements. It is believed to be considering applying for a waiver of his re-entry ban since the reasons for the original visa cancellation are now obsolete.
The relaxed COVID-19 restrictions will come into effect from Wednesday based on the latest medical advice, according to federal Health Minister Mark Butler.
"The Chief Medical Officer has advised it is no longer necessary for travellers to declare their vaccine status as part of our management of COVID," Mr Butler said.
Djokovic was initially given a visa to enter Australia in January this year after providing a certificate from Serbia's health authority confirming he had recently recovered from COVID-19, one of the few exemptions available at the time under ATAGI guidelines.
On arrival at Melbourne airport Djokovic was detained by Border Force and had his visa cancelled by then-immigration minister Alex Hawke, only to have it overturned in the Federal Circuit and Family Court.
Djokovic's visa was cancelled a second time with the government arguing that he was a sports icon and role model with his presence potentially provoking anti-vaccination sentiment in certain sections of the Australian community.
This was despite the government conceding in court documents that Djokovic posed a "negligible health risk" to Australians at the time and it was willing to accept he had entered the country with a valid visa in line with ATAGI health recommendations.
Australian Open officials referred queries to the federal government.
When contacted by the ABC the Department of Immigration said it was unable to comment on individual cases but noted, "each case is assessed on its own merits".
"Migration legislation provides that a person whose visa has been cancelled may be subject to a three-year exclusion period that prevents the grant of a further temporary visa," a spokesperson said.
