Melbourne (AP) – In the fight for an entry permit to Australia, tennis star Novak Djokovic is now apparently relying on a positive corona test from mid-December.
According to his lawyers, the world number one tested positive for the corona virus for the second time on December 16, 2021. This emerges from documents that the Serb’s lawyers have presented to the court in Melbourne and from which, among other things, the BBC reported on Saturday. Should the facts be confirmed, Djokovic could possibly have had the right to travel to Australia in early January.
He was refused entry on January 5 because he was unable to produce the necessary documents for a controversial medical exemption. Since then he has been staying in a hotel for people obliged to leave the country. The court in Melbourne wants to decide on January 10 (10 a.m. / 12 a.m. CET) whether Djokovic has to leave the country or stay and participate in the Australian Open, which begins on January 17. There it would start as the defending champion.
Lots of open questions
In the case of Djokovic, however, there are still many inconsistencies. So the question arises why he didn’t make it public earlier that he was infected with the corona virus for the second time. For the first time, the 34-year-old tested positive for the corona virus during his heavily criticized Adria Tour in June 2020. At that time, Djokovic himself published the result. Not this time. Other professionals such as Rafael Nadal had their positive tests made public in a timely manner.
In addition, photos of Djokovic cause discussions during a public appearance, where he apparently also appeared on December 16 at an event organized by the Serbian Post. During the performance, he proudly holds a stamp with his likeness in the cameras. In addition, photos are circulating on social media that show him without a mask with young fans that day. However, it is unclear whether Djokovic already knew about his positive corona test at the time of the event.
Organizer under fire
Djokovic has been keeping a secret about his vaccination status for months. In the past, however, he has repeatedly appeared as a vaccine skeptic. And in the case of a vaccination, he would not have needed a special permit.
There are still no public statements on the subject from Djokovic himself. The day before, the Serb had briefly commented on Instagram and thanked his fans for the support. In front of the hotel, compatriots repeatedly express their solidarity with their idol.
Meanwhile, the tournament director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley, has defended his staff against criticism. You did an “incredible” job, Tiley said. Nevertheless, he and the organizers of the first Grand Slam tournament are also coming under increasing criticism, as many questions are still unclear.
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