Leaked correspondence has revealed Tennis Australia begged the Department of Home Affairs to check the visa paperwork of Novak Djokovic and other players before they boarded planes — a move that could have prevented the visa debacle. But the request was refused by departmental officials, setting the scene for the ugly war of words now playing out between Australia and Serbia. News.com.au has obtained letters outlining Tennis Australia’s mounting concerns over how the medical exemptions would work dating back months. “We have reviewed your questions with the relevant officers within the Department, and with colleagues in the Department of Home Affairs and Australian Border Force,” the November 17 letter from the Department of Health states. “Travelers who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons must provide a medical certificate that indicates they are unable to be vaccinated with a Covid-19 vaccine because of a medical condition.”
