The Australian authorities is getting ready its case to deport Novak Djokovic after he admitted to attending an occasion and interview in Serbia after testing Covid-positive.
The tennis world no. 1 is at present in Melbourne preventing for an opportunity to retain his Australian Open title subsequent week, however remains to be dealing with the prospect of deportation after days of authorized battles and uncertainty.
Djokovic’s hopes had been dented additional at the moment as Australia’s Division of House Affairs’ investigation was widened to incorporate inconsistencies within the tennis star’s story after he posted a prolonged social media put up apologising for the breach, in line with The Sydney Morning Herald.
The investigation will now embrace his breach of isolation necessities in Serbia, incorrect statements given on his journey declaration kind and inconsistencies on the date of his COVID-19 take a look at.
Pictured: Novak Djokovic in Marbella taking part in soccer on a tennis court docket together with his brother on January 4. Djokovic left for Melbourne later that day, however his consultant stated on his journey declaration kind that he wouldn’t journey outdoors Serbia in 14 days earlier than arrival in Australia
December 17: The maskless tennis World No. 1 posed for photos with the kids in Serbia at a public PR occasion. He stated on Wednesday he did not know he had Covid till after the occasion
The Australian authorities is now getting ready its case to deport Novak Djokovic (pictured in Melbourne at the moment) after he admitted to attending an occasion and interview in Serbia after testing Covid-positive
Djokovic has been the topic of intense scrutiny for presenting awards to youngsters at a tennis occasion within the Serbian capital Belgrade on December 17 – a day after testing constructive to the virus, and for attending an interview the next day.
He’s additionally beneath fireplace for making a false declaration earlier than touchdown in Australia, an offence punishable by as much as 12 months in jail. Djokovic claimed in his social media put up on Wednesday that his agent crammed within the kind.
In reply to the query: ‘Have you ever travelled, or will you journey, within the 14 days previous to your flight to Australia?’ Djokovic’s agent chosen ‘no’, regardless of the participant being in Spain within the days previous to his departure to Australia.
There are additionally unanswered questions over when the 20-time Grand Slam winner really realized he had Covid, with German publication Der Spiegel casting doubt on his PCR take a look at after QR Code data was uncovered that ‘didn’t match up’.
Separate to Australia’s Division of House Affairs’ investigation, immigration Minister Alex Hawke stated at the moment he’s contemplating cancelling Djokovic’s visa.
In an replace to Australian media, Hawke’s spokesman acknowledged receiving ‘prolonged additional submissions’ from the participant’s attorneys.
‘Naturally, it will have an effect on the timeframe for a call,’ he stated. Hawke is predicted at hand down his choice on Thursday.
Novak Djokovic, pictured together with his spouse Jelena, has hit out at ‘misinformation’ over claims he examined constructive to Covid after which attended an occasion with youngsters
Djokovic stated he attended a basketball sport on December 14 after which discovered a number of folks on the occasion had examined constructive to the virus. Pictured: Djokovic reacts throughout a basketball match between Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade and FC Barcelona at Aleksandar Nikolic Corridor on December 14, 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia
The Serbian star flew into Melbourne every week in the past claiming a vaccine exemption due to a constructive PCR take a look at end result on December 16. Unvaccinated travellers are banned from Australia except they’ve a sound exemption.
Border brokers rejected his exemption saying a latest an infection didn’t qualify, tore up his visa and positioned him in a detention centre.
However the vaccine-sceptic Djokovic’s high-powered authorized staff dramatically overturned the visa choice in court docket on Monday on a procedural matter associated to his airport interview, giving the participant hope he would struggle for a document twenty first Grand Slam.
Djokovic, who’s a vaccine sceptic, tried to deal with a variety of issues concerning the scenario in a prolonged assertion posted to his Instagram web page on Wednesday, however a number of questions nonetheless stay.
The tennis star admitted attending an occasion with youngsters whereas he was Covid constructive, however stated he did not know he was contaminated till shortly afterwards as he addressed questions on his constructive Covid take a look at in mid-December.
The 34-year-old lashed out at ‘misinformation’ and claimed it wasn’t till after the occasion that he realized he was Covid constructive.
However the Serbian did come clean with then conducting an in-person interview with French newspaper L’Équipe understanding he was constructive, a mistake he put right down to an ‘error in judgement’.
He additionally admitted his agent made an administrative error and unintentionally ticked an incorrect field about his journey historical past.
In his prolonged put up, Djokovic wrote: ‘I need to handle the persevering with misinformation about my actions and attendance at occasions in December within the lead-up to my constructive Covid take a look at end result.
‘That is misinformation which must be corrected, significantly within the curiosity of assuaging broader concern locally about my presence in Australia, and to deal with issues that are very hurtful and regarding to my household.’
Djokovic stated he attended a basketball sport on December 14 after which discovered a number of folks on the occasion had examined constructive to the virus.
He stated he took a fast antigen take a look at, which got here again destructive, after which an official PCR take a look at the identical day ‘out of an abundance of warning’.
DECEMBER 25, SERBIA: A photograph uploaded to Twitter on Christmas Day reveals Djokovic with handball participant Petar Djordjic in Belgrade
DECEMBER 31, SPAIN : Video uploaded by a tennis coaching academy on New Yr’s Eve purports to point out Djokovic coaching in Marbella
JANUARY 2, SPAIN: One other picture uploaded to Twitter by a fan seems to point out Djokovic coaching in Marbella final week
LEFT – JANUARY 4, SPAIN: Novak Djokovic in Marbella taking part in soccer on the tennis court docket together with his brother Marko and the coach earlier than going to Australia. RIGHT – JANUARY 5, AUSTRALIA: Novak Djokovic stands at a sales space of the Australian Border Drive on the airport in Melbourne on January 5 after arriving from Spain, through Dubai
In reply to the query: ‘Have you ever travelled, or will you journey, within the 14 days previous to your flight to Australia?’ whoever crammed out Djokovic’s journey declaration kind chosen ‘no’. Meaning the 34-year-old tennis participant would have wanted to stay in the identical nation since December 21. However social media photos appeared to point out that he was in Belgrade, Serbia, on December 25 after which in Marbella, Spain, from December 31 till catching his flight to Australia, through Dubai, and touchdown in Melbourne on January 5
The Serbian claimed he solely discovered about his constructive PCR end result within the hours after the Belgrade tennis awards occasion.
‘The subsequent day, on 18 December I used to be at my tennis centre in Belgrade to fulfil a long-standing dedication for a L’Équipe interview and photoshoot,’ he stated.
‘I cancelled all different occasions aside from the L’Équipe interview.’
Djokovic admitted the choice to comply with by means of with the interview was an ‘error of judgement’.
‘I felt obliged to go forward and conduct the L’Équipe interview as I did not need to let the journalist down, however did guarantee I socially distanced and wore a masks besides when my {photograph} was taken,’ he stated.
‘Once I went dwelling after the interview to isolate for the required interval, on reflection, this was an error of judgment and I settle for that I ought to have rescheduled this dedication.’
Djokovic additionally blamed an administrative error on his Australian journey declaration for deceptive officers about his journey within the weeks earlier than he arrived in Melbourne.
The tennis star flew to Spain after which onto Australia earlier than being detained by border officers final Thursday, however checked ‘no’ to a journey declaration kind query about journey within the 14 days earlier than touchdown in Melbourne.
‘This was submitted by my assist staff on my behalf – as I instructed immigration officers on my arrival,’ he stated.
‘My agent sincerely apologises for the executive mistake in ticking the inaccurate field about my earlier journey earlier than coming to Australia.’
Djokovic stated the error was a ‘human error’ and in a pandemic ‘typically these errors can happen’.
‘At this time, my staff has supplied extra data to the Australian authorities to make clear this matter,’ he stated.
Within the closing web page of his Instagram put up, Djokovic stated he can be making no additional remark ‘out of utmost respect for the Australian authorities’.
Djokovic wrote in a sworn court docket affidavit he was ‘examined and recognized’ for Covid on December 16 – contradicting his declare he was instructed of his constructive end result on the seventeenth after attending the occasion with youngsters in Serbia.
The penalty for offering false data to to the Federal Circuit Court docket beneath the Crimes Act can carry a most jail sentence of 5 years.
However the inconsistencies do not cease there.
DJOKOVIC COMES CLEAN ABOUT HIS COVID TESTS AND VISA DEBACLE
I need to handle the persevering with misinformation about my actions and attendance at occasions in December within the lead-up to my constructive Covid take a look at end result.
That is misinformation which must be corrected, significantly within the curiosity of assuaging broader concern locally about my presence in Australia, and to deal with issues that are very hurtful and regarding to my household.
I need to emphasise that I’ve tried very onerous to make sure the protection of everybody and my compliance with testing obligations.
I attended a basketball sport in Belgrade on 14 December after which it was reported that a variety of folks examined constructive to Covid-19.
Regardless of having no Covid signs, I took a fast antigen take a look at on 16 December which was destructive, and out of an abundance of warning, additionally took an official and authorized PCR take a look at on that very same day.
The subsequent day I attended a tennis occasion in Belgrade to current awards to youngsters and took a fast antigen take a look at earlier than going to the occasion, and it was destructive.
I used to be asymptomatic and felt good, and I had not acquired the notification of a constructive PCR take a look at till after that occasion.
The subsequent day, on 18 December I used to be at my tennis centre in Belgrade to fulfil a long-standing dedication for a L’Équipe interview and photoshoot. I cancelled all different occasions aside from the L’Equipe interview.
I felt obliged to go forward and conduct the L’Équipe interview as I did not need to let the journalist down, however did guarantee I socially distanced and wore a masks besides when my {photograph} was taken.
Djokovic is pictured throughout a coaching session at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Once I went dwelling after the interview to isolate for the required interval, on reflection, this was an error of judgment and I settle for that I ought to have rescheduled this dedication.
On the difficulty of my journey declaration, this was submitted by my assist staff on my behalf – as I instructed immigration officers on my arrival – and my agent sincerely apologises for the executive mistake in ticking the inaccurate field about my earlier journey earlier than coming to Australia.
This was a human error and positively not deliberate. We live in difficult instances in a worldwide pandemic and typically these errors can happen. At this time, my staff has supplied extra data to the Australian authorities to make clear this matter.
Whereas I felt it was vital to deal with and make clear misinformation I cannot be making any additional remark out of utmost respect for the Australian authorities and their authorities and the present course of.
It was at all times an honour and a privilege to play within the Australian Open. The Australian Open is much-loved by gamers, followers and the neighborhood, not simply in Victoria and in Australia however across the globe, and I simply need to have the chance to compete in opposition to the most effective gamers on the planet and carry out earlier than probably the greatest crowds on the planet.
Djokovic is seen throughout a observe session forward of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday
The unvaccinated star’s account of how he discovered he had the virus comes amid a bombshell German information report concerning the Serbian’s take a look at data.
Der Spiegel highlighted a collection of potential inconsistencies in official data concerning the Serbian world primary’s PCR take a look at outcomes from final month.
Djokovic was instructed he might fly into Melbourne on the premise he examined constructive to the virus in Serbia on December 16 after which destructive six days later.
However Der Spiegel claims when its reporter entered the code for his December 16 take a look at into the official Serbian well being database at 1.19pm on Monday, the end result got here again destructive.
An hour later at 2.33pm, the scan returned a constructive end result – in what might merely be a quirk of the system.
A destructive end result would have invalidated Djokovic’s declare to enter Australia on a short lived working visa for the event.
His constructive take a look at end result has additionally been known as into query by a discrepancy within the identification numbers used for each take a look at.
The German investigation discovered Djokovic’s December 16 take a look at end result had the ID quantity 7371999, however his destructive end result on December 22 was 7320919 – 50,000 areas decrease.
Researchers claimed the mismatched identification numbers confirmed Djokovic may very well have examined destructive on December 16 after which constructive six days later.
Such a end result would have additionally made the Serbian ineligible to enter Australia on the grounds he had lately contracted and recovered from the virus on December 22, as claimed on official documentation.
Each day Mail Australia shouldn’t be suggesting Djokovic or his staff had been concerned in any wrongdoing, merely that there are questions surrounding the executive error.
The Serbian admitted he then carried out an in-person media interview with French newspaper L’Équipe understanding he was constructive, a mistake he put right down to an ‘error in judgement’
A German information website claims when it entered the code for Djokovic’s December 16 take a look at into the official Serbian database at 1.19pm on Monday, the end result got here again destructive (left) after which constructive about an hour later (proper)
It comes as Djokovic’s entry into Australia as an unvaccinated participant was questioned by World No. 38 Marton Fucsovics, who accused the Serbian of skirting the principles to play within the Grand Slam.
Fucsovics this week fired a shot at Djokovic over his choice to not get vaccinated, declaring the 34-year-old was ‘discovering a means round guidelines’.
‘Folks’s well being is paramount, and there are guidelines that had been outlined months in the past, specifically that everybody ought to vaccinate themselves – and Djokovic did not,’ Fucsovics stated.
‘From this viewpoint, I don’t assume he would have the suitable to be right here.’
British tennis legend Andy Murray on Tuesday stated there are nonetheless ‘a couple of inquiries to be answered’ by Djokovic over his visa debacle.
‘There are nonetheless a couple of questions that should be answered across the isolation and stuff, which I am certain we’ll hear from him within the subsequent few days, however I’m clearly right here to attempt to play and win tournaments,’ he stated.
‘He received in court docket, which is nice. Appears like he’s going to have the ability to play and compete within the Australian Open, which we do need the most effective gamers there, however like I stated, I believe there may be nonetheless a couple of inquiries to be answered.’
Djokovic’s mom has additionally opened up concerning the Australian Open visa exemption debacle – and claimed he ‘did not know’ he was contaminated with Covid-19 whereas pictured attending public occasions in Serbia final month.
British tennis legend Andy Murray stated there are nonetheless ‘a couple of inquiries to be answered’ by Djokovic over his visa debacle. Murray is pictured celebrating profitable a match on the 2022 Sydney Worldwide on Tuesday
Dijana Djokovic claims her son ‘did not know’ he had Covid whereas attending occasions within the following days, regardless of court docket paperwork confirming the constructive PCR take a look at.
Images present the tennis star hugging youngsters at an occasion on December 17 earlier than attending the Serbian Nationwide Postal Service launch of his personal stamp.
‘He did not know, most likely, he did not know as a result of when he realised he was constructive then he go to isolation,’ she instructed Dawn on Wednesday from Belgrade.
‘I actually can not say however it’s perhaps the most effective is to ask him.’
Ms Djokovic opened up on the heavy toll her son’s visa saga has had on the remainder of household again dwelling, describing the final week because the ‘most troublesome time for us’.
‘We by no means have, even in my worst desires thought that one thing like this was going to occur,’ she stated.
‘So truthfully, for a couple of days, we weren’t even sleeping so we’re actually drained and attempting to do our greatest to unfold the phrase about what’s going on.’
Djokovic pictured at his first full observe session on Rod Laver Area on Tuesday after he spent 5 days holed up in immigration detention
Regardless of his profitable court docket attraction to remain, Djokovic should still be booted from the nation with Immigration Minister Alex Hawke but to determine whether or not to make use of his private powers to cancel his visa for a second time.
Australian Border Drive has additionally launched a contemporary investigation into whether or not the Djokovic lied on a journey declaration kind earlier than getting into the nation.
His mom remains to be ‘very apprehensive’ he should still be deported by authorities forward of subsequent week’s Australian Open as she issued an impassioned plea to let her son keep.
‘I used to be studying within the newspapers there’s nonetheless the chance they could deport him so I am very apprehensive and I realise that this isn’t over but and we’re all praying that he’ll keep,’ she stated.
‘I hope everyone seems to be considering the identical.
‘Do not throw him out, he’s a tennis participant, he’s not politician, he’s not a legal, he’s not a assassin, he is only a tennis participant, the most effective on the planet, simply let him play and present what he is aware of.’
‘He got here to Australia to play and to win the Australian Open, that is his purpose.’
Dijana Djokovic (pictured) opened up about her son’s ongoing visa saga to Channel Seven’s Dawn on Wednesday morning
She does not assume it is truthful Mr Hawke should still deport Djokovic.
‘The Honourable Decide Kelly made the choice he was free so I can not perceive why one man could make the opposite choice…… however I do not know your legal guidelines in your nation so I actually do not perceive,’ she added.
Ms Djokovic additionally defended her son’s robust stance on vaccination and respects his choice to not get the jab.
‘As mom I can not strain him,’ she stated.
‘I do not know what the issue is that if he does not need to get vaccinated – that’s his alternative,’ she stated.
‘Every individual on this world has the chance to make this alternative, that is like human rights.’
Ms Djokovic then slammed the principles banning gamers from collaborating within the Australian Open except they’re totally vaccinated or have a medical exemption.
‘I do not perceive this legislation that provided that you are vaccinated you possibly can play,’ she stated.
Dijana Djokovic claims her son ‘did not know’ he had Covid whereas attending occasions (pictured on the Serbian Nationwide Postal Service launch) within the following days of a constructive PCR take a look at on December 16
‘It is not that I am in opposition to vaccination, in fact I am not, however in the event you’re vaccinated, it is not that you just’re protected against the coronavirus.
‘Lot of people that have two or three vaccines get sick.
‘Are they afraid he will cough on the court docket? It is foolish.’
She added her son is as hungry as ever to win his tenth Australian Open title and turn out to be the primary males’s tennis participant in historical past to win 21 grand slam titles.
‘Now he has extra power and energy to win this, as a result of he needs to point out everyone on the planet why he’s the most effective on the planet,’ Mrs Djokovic stated.