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In a text posted on Instagram, world number one Novak Djokovic denounced on Wednesday the “disinformation” regarding his public appearances in Serbia on December 16, despite a positive PCR test for Covid-19. He also admitted “human error” in his declaration of entry into Australia.
Released, Novak Djokovic goes on the counter-attack. “I want to stress that I have done my best to ensure everyone’s safety and that I comply with the testing obligations.”
The Serbian tennis star denounced, Wednesday January 12 in a text published on Instagram, the “disinformation” regarding his appearances in public despite a positive PCR test for Covid-19 on December 16. To dispel this “misinformation” which he considers “very hurtful” for his family, Djokovic explained that he had not yet received the result of his test, carried out the day before, at the time of a meeting with young players tennis on December 17th.
Comments confirmed by his mother Dijana, in an interview with the Australian television channel Channel 7. According to her, Novak Djokovic was probably “not aware” of the positive result of his test for Covid-19 when he participated in an event in Serbia without a mask. “He didn’t know because when he realized he was positive, he isolated himself,” she added, stressing that it was best to ask Djokovic himself.
The unvaccinated tennis superstar was seen in Belgrade, Serbia on December 16, following testing positive for Covid-19. On December 17, the Belgrade Tennis Federation announced on its Facebook page that “the best tennis player on the planet” had awarded cups and diplomas to young players that same day.
The post contained several photos of Djokovic with federation officials and around 20 teenagers, all without masks.
Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said the world number one would have committed a “clear violation” of the country’s health restrictions if he was in public knowing he tested positive for the coronavirus.
A “human error” on his travel document
In his statement, the sportsman also makes his mea-culpa, admitting a “human error, certainly not deliberate” by declaring wrongly on his arrival in Australia not to have traveled during the 14 days preceding his flight.
According to him, his agent accidentally checked the wrong box on the form. “On the issue of my travel declaration, this form was completed on my behalf by my team – as I made it clear to immigration officials upon my arrival – and my agent sincerely apologizes for it. ‘administrative error made by checking the wrong box concerning my travels before I came to Australia “, declared Novak Djokovic.
Indeed, questions have been raised around the 34-year-old’s travel statement. On his travel document, made public by the Federal Court of Appeal, the box indicating that he had not traveled in the 14 days before his flight was checked. But the player was seen traveling during the two weeks leading up to his arrival in Australia.
He was photographed in Belgrade on December 25, together with Serbian handball player Petar Djordjic. The photo was posted on Djordjic’s Instagram page. On December 31, SotoTennis academy tweeted a video of Djokovic training in Marbella, Spain.
On January 2, local newspaper Diario photographed him playing at the Puente Romano club in Sierra Blanca, Marbella, where he was staying in a villa.
The short superstar also admitted in the text published on Instagram an “error in judgment” by receiving in person a journalist from the French daily L’Equipe on December 18, when he knew he was sick with Covid-19, but he assured to have “respected social distancing and wore a mask”.
Djokovic arrived in Melbourne on January 5. He said he received a medical exemption from vaccination for having contracted Covid-19 in December. But he saw his visa revoked, sparking a legal battle between him and the Australian authorities which lasted for several days.
Despite his release, a spokesperson for Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said on Tuesday he “was considering canceling Novak Djokovic’s visa” using his ministerial powers.
With AFP and Archyde.com
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