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Novak Djoković
Photo: JB Autissier / IMAGO / PanoramiC
The 34-year-old tennis professional Novak Djoković has been housed in a quarantine hotel since landing in Australia on Wednesday, the authorities deny him entry because of apparently incorrect documents.
A court should decide on Monday.
Djoković wants to defend his title at the Australian Open (from January 17th).
At the center of the affair is the Australian Tennis Association: Tennis Australia was previously accused of misleading the players through a memo published in the Australian media informing them that a recent infection was a reason for temporary medical treatment Exemption from vaccination.
Djoković is said to have tested positive in mid-December
Before his departure for Melbourne, Djoković had announced on social media that he had been granted such an exemption.
As the news agency Reuters now reports, Djoković is said to have submitted documents about a Covid infection last month, according to court documents.
The world's number one lawyers said in a court hearing on Saturday that their client was infected with the corona virus in December.
The positive PCR test was dated December 16, which is the basis for the medical exemption.
Meanwhile, the Australian Tennis Association considers itself innocent in the immigration affair.
In an internal video leaked to the Sunday Herald Sun newspaper, Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley praised the team's "incredible work" in handling the matter.
"There is a lot of finger pointing and a lot of blame, but I can assure you our team did an amazing job," Tiley said on the video.
He said the organization had chosen not to raise the issue publicly because of Djoković's lawsuit.
His team "did everything it could, according to the instructions it received," said Tiley, who is also the tournament director of the Australian Open.
Voráčová grieves, Kyrgios pays his respects
Double specialist Renata Voráčová, who was also refused entry, complained in the Czech media about the conditions in the Park Hotel in Melbourne: “You bring me food and there is a guard in the hallway.
You have to report, everything is rationed.
I feel a little like in prison. "
Djoković received expressions of respect from the Australian tennis bully Nick Kyrgios.
“If he's allowed to play at the Australian Open, he'll be hard to stop.
I guess he's going to be pissed off, "said Kyrgios on the sidelines of a preparation tournament in Sydney." You won't become such a great champion if you are unable to overcome such adversities.
I'm sure he has survived much more difficult times than spending a few more days in hotel rooms. "
mfu / sid / rtr
