Djokovic spent eight hours in detention, most of them incommunicado, lawyers say

Australian border authorities detained tennis player Novak Djokovic for eight hours at Melbourne airport, where he spent most of his time incommunicado, before canceling his visa and sending him to a detention centre, his lawyers reported on Saturday. ).

His representatives said in a document filed in court that the athlete was granted an exemption from not being vaccinated against Covid-19 because he tested positive for the virus in a December test.

“The date of the first positive Covid PCR test was December 16, 2021”, declared their representatives in this document presented to the federal court to try to overturn the rejection of their visa to enter Australia.

That same day and the following day, the player attended public acts without a mask.

Djokovic, the world tennis number one, who landed Wednesday night in Melbourne after a 25-hour journey connecting in Dubai, asked for time to rest and to speak with his lawyers the next morning, his representatives said. cool.

However, although immigration authorities initially agreed, his superiors pressured the tennis player to make an immediate decision.

The entry of foreigners into Australia is prohibited, with few exceptions. Travelers who obtain a visa must have a full Covid-19 vaccination course or a sick leave.

The tennis star has been in detention since Thursday morning, despite his request to be transferred to another center that would allow him to train before the Australian Open.

Although the tennis player was granted an extension to avoid deportation, it is unclear whether the process will allow him to participate in the tournament, which runs from January 17 to 30 and which Djokovic has won nine times.

With Covid in public act

After receiving confirmation of the coronavirus infection on December 16, Djokovic attended a ceremony for young players in Belgrade the next day, without a mask, according to a publication by the local tennis federation.

In a statement issued on December 17, the Belgrade tennis federation announced on its Facebook page that “the best tennis player on the planet and holder of 20 Grand Slam titles” has handed over the cups and diplomas to the young winners of the Serbian capital this season. 2021.

“Only the winning boys attended the delivery of the cups at the Novak Tennis Center in Dorcol (Belgrade), due to sanitary measures related to the coronavirus pandemic”, highlights the statement.

The publication contains several photos of Novak Djokovic, who poses with federation officials and about twenty teenagers. None of them wore a protective mask.

The day before — the day of his positive test —, Djokoic participated in another public act: the presentation of a stamp with his image. The tennis player posted a photo of the moment on Instagram.