Djokovic admits ‘error of judgement’

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic knew he had tested positive for COVID-19 when he attended a newspaper interview and photo shoot in Serbia last month, saying on Wednesday that he made an “error of judgment” and should have immediately gone into isolation.

In a statement posted on his social media accounts, the Men’s World No.1 added that his support team made a “human error” while declaring he had not travelled in the two-week period before entering Australia. His visa was revoked upon arrival last week and later reinstated in an ongoing saga over whether he should be allowed into the country despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

Djokovic acknowledged the lapses when he sought to clarify what he called “continuing misinformation” about his movements after he became infected last month, though he did not spell out what inaccuracies he was referring to. The defending Australian Open champion won a legal battle on Monday that has allowed him to stay in the country, but still faces the prospect of deportation.

Court documents, detailing Djokovic’s positive test, sparked speculation over the player’s attendance at events in Serbia last month. Further questions were raised about errors on his immigration form. Djokovic revealed he had taken rapid tests that were negative and was asymptomatic before he received his positive result from a PCR test which he undertook out of an “abundance of caution”.

He received the result late on December 17, he said, and scrapped all his commitments except an interview with L’Equipe newspaper. “I felt obliged to go ahead, but did ensure I was socially distanced and wore a mask except when my photograph was being taken,” Djokovic said. “While I went home after the interview to isolate for the required period, on reflection, this was an error of judgment.”

Djokovic acknowledged the lapses when he sought to clarify what he called “continuing misinformation”, though he did not spell out what inaccuracies he was referring to