On the Italian night Novak Djokovic broke his silence to comment on the events of the last week that led Australia first to block his visa – as it was not vaccinated – then to return it to him after a federal court sentence, but always under the danger that Immigration Minister Alex Hawke can pick it up again.
And it is precisely to avoid this hypothesis that the long Instagram post of the Serbian champion seems to be written. Djokovic intervenes on two points: the dates and circumstances of the second positive covid last December (at the center of his request for exemption to play the Australian Open), and the error in filling in the immigration form in which he did not have reported a trip to Spain, to be exact to Marbella, which could theoretically cost him in prison (up to 12 months).
On the second point, he admits his own fault, partly discharging it on the member of his team who filled out the form: it is a “human and involuntary error, in difficult times, and Djokovic apologizes for it, assuming responsibility for it.”
As far as positivity is concerned, the intent is to combat the “disinformation” circulating in recent days. Djokovic essentially says that he only learned of the positivity on the 17th, after a swab carried out on the 16th, and that he canceled all commitments except an interview with the team, “in order not to disappoint the journalists”, which in any case took place with distancing and use of the mask. This would explain the photos and videos of his presence at public events, and without a mask. An argument that does not convince in all the passages – if he had made a swab, why not self-isolate until the outcome? … – and which will lend itself to new interpretations and controversies. The post ends with the clarification that no further comments will follow, “out of respect for the Australian government.” Who today could decide to send him home preventing him from competing in the Australian Open, the slam that the Serbian has already won nine times.