Australia cancels Novak Djokovic's visa on his arrival in Melbourne
January 6, 2022, 7:39 am

Australia cancels Novak Djokovic's visa on his arrival in Melbourne

Novak Djokovic/Official Facebook page

The BBC reported that tennis star Novak Djokovic has had his visa to enter Australia dramatically revoked on his arrival in Melbourne.

It said that the world number one was held in the city's airport for several hours before border officials announced he had not met entry rules and would be deported.

According to the BBC, Djokovic was then taken to a government detention hotel. His lawyers have launched an urgent appeal in court.

It mentioned that it 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".

Novak Djokovic-Tennis star/Official Facebook page

Tennis Australia said his medical exemption had been granted by two independent medical panels, but border officials said he had "failed to provide appropriate evidence" for entry after arriving on Wednesday from Dubai.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) said in a statement: "Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry or who have had their visa cancelled will be detained and removed from Australia."

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The BBC said that Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison denied Djokovic was being singled out and said no-one was above the country's rules. But he added that Djokovic's public stance on vaccination had drawn the ABF's attention.

Mr Morrison told reporters: "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."

Mr Morrison said the ABF had previously advised Tennis Australia on visa expectations. Though Djokovic's reason for an exemption has not been disclosed, Mr Morrison said contracting Covid in the past six months was not among accepted federal criteria.

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The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has reported that two other people were now having their medical exemptions reviewed.

The Federal Circuit Court has adjourned Djokovic's legal challenge until 18:00 local time (07:00 GMT), after a brief administrative hearing.

He is being held at a hotel in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton which is used for immigration detention. The facility has been the site of Covid-19 outbreaks and a recent fire.

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His treatment has provoked outrage in Serbia. His father, Srdjan Djokovic, said his son had been held in a room guarded by police at the airport.

"This is not just a fight for Novak, but a fight for the whole world," he said in a statement released to the media.

President Aleksander Vucic said the star was a victim of "harassment" and said that "the whole of Serbia" supported him.

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

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Australia is seeing tens of thousands of Covid-19 cases for the first time after enduring some of the world's strictest restrictions. More than 90% of Australia's over-16 population is fully vaccinated, but some people still cannot travel interstate or globally because of current measures.

Many Australians had previously accused the government of allowing the rich and famous to do as they please while ordinary people remained separated from sick and dying loved ones.

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News of Djokovic's exemption triggered an overwhelmingly angry response in Australia.

The Australian Open begins on 17 January in Melbourne. Djokovic has previously won the tournament nine times.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.