Novak Djokovic, whose Australian lawyers say he tested positive for Covid-19 on December 16, attended a ceremony the next day, without a mask, in Belgrade in honor of young Serbian players, according to a publication from the Belgrade Tennis Federation on social networks consulted on Saturday by AFP. In a statement released on December 17 at the end of the day, the Belgrade Tennis Federation announced on its Facebook page that "
the best tennis player on the planet
" and "
holder of 20 Grand Slam titles
" awarded cups and diplomas to young players.
"
Only the rewarded children attended the presentation of the cups which took place in the Novak tennis center
" in Belgrade "
because of the health measures linked to the coronavirus pandemic
", we read.
The post contains several photos of Djokovic posing with federation officials and around 20 teenagers, all without a mask.
Another public event the day before
"
The President of the Belgrade Tennis Federation Milan Slavkovic presented Novak Djokovic with an icon for all he has accomplished in tennis, in sport in general, for all the success and generosity he shows on a daily basis across the world
, ”the text continues. Most Serbian media reported the ceremony on December 17. Djokovic also attended the day before - the day of his positive test - another public event: the presentation of a tribute stamp to his effigy by the Serbian post. He himself posted a photo of it on Instagram.
Djokovic traveled to Australia in the middle of the week after obtaining a medical exemption from the vaccination requirement to participate in the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the season, but his visa was canceled on his arrival. and he has since been in a detention center in Melbourne awaiting the examination of his appeal on Monday morning.