BEYOND A DJOK
Novak blames agent for immigration form but admits TV interview after Covid test was wrong
NOVAK DJOKOVIC has admitted he was wrong to give a face-to-face interview after learning of his positive Covid test.
But the nine-time champion offered no apology as he attempted to explain away his decision and mistakes with his immigration form.
Djokovic is already training Down Under after winning a court case which allowed him to remain in the country.
But the Serb, who could yet have his visa cancelled by the authorities in Australia, is also on trial in the court of public opinion as he prepares to face a potentially hostile reception at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic took to Instagram yesterday to insist the failure to declare he had travelled from Serbia to Spain in the two weeks before his arrival Down Under was “human error” on the part of his agent and “not deliberate”.
Giving his version of events regarding his positive result, Djokovic said that after attending a basketball match in Belgrade on December 14 he took a lateral flow test two days later which was negative.
He also took a PCR test on the same day out of an “abundance of caution”.
According to documents from the Institute of Public Health of Serbia a positive result was returned at 8pm. But Djokovic claimed he didn’t learn of the result until the following evening, by which time he had already attended two events.
The second of those was an awards ceremony in Belgrade on December 17, which he went to without wearing a mask following another negative lateral flow test.
The next day, having learned he was positive, the 20-time Grand Slam winner gave a 33-minute interview with French sports daily L’Equipe in Belgrade.
Djokovic said: “I didn’t want to let the journalist down but did ensure I socially distanced and wore a mask except when my photograph was being taken. While I went home after the interview to isolate for the required period, on reflection, this was an error of judgement and I accept that I should have rescheduled this commitment.”
After receiving strong support in his homeland, even Serbia prime minister Ana Brnabic yesterday admitted that going out after a positive test result was a “clear breach” of his homeland’s Covid rules.
Immigration minister Alex Hawke was last night still considering cancelling the unvaccinated Serb’s visa because prior infection in the last six months is not a valid reason to be given an exemption.
Immigration officials are also investigating his conduct and travel documents.
World No.140 Joao Sousa claimed it was difficult for other players to accept that Djokovic could play without being vaccinated.
“I can be empathetic with what he is going through in Australia but it is a bit selfish from him to arrive here as the only player unvaccinated,” said the Portuguese. But Nick Kyrgios warned: “He’s going to be very determined to play well, and stick it to everyone.”
The WTA yesterday claimed Czech doubles player Renata Voracova did “nothing wrong” before her visa exemption was cancelled and she left the country last week.