Tennis player Djokovic admits “human errors” in his procedures to enter Australia

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic admitted that they committed “human errors”In his statement to enter Australia and that he attended an interview despite knowing that he had COVID-19, while the Australian Government continues to study his deportation.

The world’s number one answered this Wednesday through a statement on social networks to what he defined as “continuous misinformation”And admitted to having attended an interview with a French media on December 18, a day after learning that he was positive for COVID-19.

“I felt obliged to attend the interview with L’Equipe so as not to leave the journalist stranded, but I kept social distance and a mask all the time, except during the photographs. Upon returning home I isolated myself and reflected”, Detailed the 34-year-old Serbian on his Instagram account.

In the explosive statement, which comes at a time of intense scrutiny over the tennis player’s attendance at various public events after being tested for COVID-19 on December 16, Djokovic acknowledged that he committed a “judgment error” and that “I should have postponed the appointment”.

The player, who is looking to win his 10th Australian Open title and claim his 21st Grand Slam to beat his rivals Roger Federer Y Rafael Nadal, He also explained that he attended two events, one basketball two days before the test and another with children on December 17.

“I was asymptomatic and feeling fine and did not receive notification of my positive PCR test until after that event (an award for children)”, He specified Djokovic, who added that he also previously underwent antigen tests as a precaution, which came back negative.

Djokovic arrived in Australia on January 5 – a country with a tough immigration policy – with a medical exemption for not getting vaccinated, but customs agents denied him a visa and he was held in a Melbourne hotel while his lawyers appealed to a Australian court, which ordered his release on Monday.

Human errors

In the statement, the tennis player also targeted his agent for involuntarily committing a “human error”By filling in the box on the trips that the athlete made in the 14 days prior to his arrival in the oceanic country, by not declaring a displacement between Spain and Serbia.

The number one in the world was training in a facility in Sotogrande (Cádiz), according to his social networks, and traveled from Malaga to Australia, according to the president of the Serbian Olympic Committee, Borizadr Maljkovic.

The tennis player, who flew on January 4 with a stopover in Dubai, could have spent Christmas in Belgrade, according to some photos on social networks.

Deportation in suspense

Djokovic’s future at the Australian Open, which takes place between January 17 and 30, is still in suspense as Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said again today that he is weighing the possibility of using his special powers. to deport the tennis player for not meeting the requirements imposed by COVID-19 to enter the country.

Hawke said he wants more time to make a decision, after Djokovic’s lawyers contributed new documents to this case that has exploded at a time when the country’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, is seeking re-election in this year’s elections. .

“Djokovic’s attorneys have recently provided more extensive filings and supporting documentation that they say is relevant to (avoiding) potential visa cancellation. This will affect the time to make a decision“The minister’s office said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Minister of the Interior of Australia, which investigates errors in Djokovic’s declaration to enter the country, would have expanded its investigations into the alleged violation of isolation rules by COVID-19 in Serbia and inconsistencies in the dates of its tests to detect the coronavirus, as revealed today the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers.