Australian Open 2022: Is Novak Djokovic lying? Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic was given a Covid-19 vaccine exemption because he tested positive for the virus in December, his lawyers said in a court filing Saturday, three days after Australian border agents placed him in a Melbourne detention centre. As per his lawyers, the World No 1 tested positive on December 16 but on the same day and the next day, he attended two events in Belgrade. Follow Australian Open 2022 Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“The date of the first positive Covid PCR test was recorded on 16 December 2021,” his lawyers said in a filing to the federal court seeking to overturn the cancellation of his Australian entry visa. Djokovic, an outspoken vaccine sceptic, will have his appeal heard in court on Monday.
Australian Open 2022: Novak Djokovic falls in his own trap, lawyers say he had Covid on Dec 16 but was photographed attending events on 16 and 17
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Is Djokovic lying? – Novak Djokovic, whose lawyers said Saturday he was given an Australian Open Covid-19 vaccine exemption for testing positive on December 16, was at a young players event in Belgrade the following day, without a mask.
The Belgrade tennis federation, in a Facebook post after the December 17 ceremony, reported that Djokovic had handed over cups and awards to best young players in 2021.
The event, held at the Novak tennis centre in the Serbian capital, was attended only by the award winners “due to epidemiological measures related to the coronavirus pandemic”, said the federation statement.
It was accompanied with several photos of Djokovic, posing with the federation’s officials and some 20 young players holding cups and awards. No one was wearing a mask.
A question lingering: if Djokovic was claiming a coronavirus positive in last six months as reason for an exemption, when did he get it?
According to BBC, his lawyers say that Djokovic tested positive very recently, less than a month ago, on December 16.https://t.co/w1JBE4vFp8
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 8, 2022
Australian Open 2022: Novak Djokovic falls in his own trap, lawyers say he had Covid on Dec 16 but was photographed attending events on 16 and 17
Australian Open 2022: 5 biggest controversies surrounding World No.1 Novak Djokovic’s high-profile…
At the ceremony, the federation head Milan Slavkovic presented Djokovic with an Orthodox icon for “all he has done for tennis and sports in general, for all achievements and generosity he is making every day throughout the planet”, the statement said. The event was widely reported in the Serbian media.
Djokovic attended another gathering on December 16, when the Serbia national postal service honoured him by launching a series of stamps featuring him and his sports achievements. He published a photo from the ceremony on Instagram on December 17.
An honor to receive my very own Serbian stamp. Thank you to my generous country for this rare gift! I’m humbled!! Excited to share we’ll partner with the Serbian National Postal Service on @novakfoundation projects for every child to have the opportunity to attend preschool 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/Ww8Zma95NU
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) December 17, 2021
Australian Open 2022: Novak Djokovic falls in his own trap, lawyers say he had Covid on Dec 16 but was photographed attending events on 16 and 17
Australian border agents tore up Djokovic’s entry visa for failing to meet the country’s tough Covid-19 vaccine requirements when he landed in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old Serb, an outspoken vaccine sceptic, was placed in a Melbourne detention centre. He will have his appeal heard in court on Monday.
The world number one has also requested to be moved to a facility where he can train for the Australian Open, his lawyers said. Djokovic will have his appeal heard in court on Monday. Foreigners are still mostly banned from travel to Australia, and those who were granted entry must be fully vaccinated or have a medical exemption.
Australian Open 2022: Novak Djokovic falls in his own trap, lawyers say he had Covid on Dec 16 but was photographed attending events on 16 and 17
