Novak Djokovic got medical exemption to enter Australia because he had Covid-19 TWO WEEKS before arriving, court documents reveal - as details of his six-hour interrogation come to light
• Djokovic had contracted Covid on December 16 before travelling to Australia
• His recovery from virus had been basis for his medical exemption for Aus Open
• His lawyers said he was not experiencing symptoms before arriving in Australia
• Djokovic was reportedly interrogated for six hours by Border Force officials
• He was also allegedly pressured into accepting the cancellation of his visa
By ELIZA MCPHEE FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and REUTERS

PUBLISHED: 07:57, 8 January 2022 | UPDATED: 11:27, 8 January 2022

Tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic tested positive for Covid-19 on December 16 and his recovery from the infection was the basis for his medical exemption to play at the Australian Open, his lawyers said in a court filing on Saturday.

The filing said the 34-year-old was not experiencing symptoms and had written clearance from Australia's immigration department before travelling to the country with a medical exemption from its vaccination rules.

Djokovic, who is now in immigration detention in Melbourne after his visa was cancelled on arrival on Thursday, returned his first positive coronavirus test last month.

Fourteen days later he 'had not had a fever or respiratory symptoms of Covid-19 in the last 72 hours', the filing said.

New details have also now emerged about the six hours during which Djokovic was being interrogated by Australian Border Force officials after landing at Melbourne Airport late on Wednesday night.

Djokovic's lawyers claim when he was finally given the chance to sleep, two supervisors quickly woke him.

They then allegedly pressured him to accept the decision to cancel his visa before he could speak to Tennis Australia or his legal team.

Djokovic had wanted to wait until after 8am to contact Tennis Australia but a decision was made at 7.42am.


Novak Djokovic tested positive for Covid-19 on December 16 and his recovery from the infection was the basis for his medical exemption to play at the Australian Open


Djokovic is seen with Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley. Tennis Australia had informed unvaccinated players they could attend the Australian Open if they'd tested positive to Covid in the past six months

'Over several pages of transcript the supervisor pressured Mr Djokovic to simply continue the interview immediately,' his legal team said.

'Mr Djokovic, having formed the view that '[they were] going to cancel [his] visa, it's obvious' relented, feeling he had no choice, and on the basis of an understanding based on what they had said to him that it was better for him if the interview was done right away.'

This came after the Serbian sports star on January 1 received a 'document from the Department of Home Affairs (which) told Djokovic that his 'responses indicate(d) that (he met) the requirements for a quarantine-free arrival into Australia', the legal filings said.

His lawyers also said that on December 30, Tennis Australia granted him a 'medical exemption from Covid vaccination' on the basis he had recently recovered from the virus.

Djokovic, an outspoken critic of mandatory vaccination, has never disclosed his own vaccination status.

He is challenging his visa cancellation in Australia's federal court in hopes of winning his 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open which starts on January 17.

His case will be heard in court on Monday.

Leaked documents from Tennis Australia said that unvaccinated players were able to apply for a temporary medical exemption if they had contracted Covid-19 in the past six months.

A letter was sent by Tennis Australia on December 7 to the Association of Tennis Professionals and then passed onto players.

The document said unvaccinated players needed to prove they'd had the virus in the six months since July 31 in order to enter the country.

Their applications for exemptions needed to be submitted by December 10, six days before Djokovic tested positive.


DJokovic remains in a detention hotel in Melbourne with his case due to be heard in court on Monday

However, Tennis Australia had already been notified by the Federal Government in November that prior infections would not allow the unvaccinated into the country.

Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley in a leaked video said his staff had done an 'unbelievable job' despite the governing body coming under fire for giving the unvaxxed star wrong health advice, while also condemning 'finger pointing'.

'There's a lot of finger pointing going on and a lot of blaming going on, but I can assure you our team has done an unbelievable job and have done everything they possibly could according to all the instructions that they have been provided,' he said in the clip.

'We empathise with the situation we currently have. We are a player first event...we are working closely with Novak and his team.'


The tennis champ's lawyers also said that on December 30, Tennis Australia granted him a 'medical exemption from Covid vaccination' on the basis he had recently recovered from the virus

It comes after Djokovic demanded he receive a personal chef and have access to a tennis court while staying in his Melbourne hotel, which is used to house refugees.

Australian Border Force officials have rejected his demands with the world No.1 told he will receive no special treatment at Carlton's Park Hotel.

Djokovic had requested a personal chef so he could maintain his very strict diet as the tennis pro lives with an intolerance to gluten.

The 34-year-old had also asked to be transferred to a rented apartment with a tennis court so he could train and remain in top shape ahead of the Australian Open.

Djokovic even offered to pay for private guards in the hopes he could make the move.

But Australian Border Force have rejected all of his requests and insisted he will remain at the hotel until a court rules on his deportation on Monday.

Djokovic has been forced to tough it out alongside 32 other refugees and asylum seekers who have previously complained about poor living conditions at the hotel that has been dubbed the 'Alternative Place of Detention'.

ThierryJay:
OP redo this topic. It's bigger than the way you've put it and not so clear.

Djokovic is currently under detention in Australia and will likely miss the Aussie Open Grand Slam due to Australia's strict Covid 19 rules. He faces deportation because he has been accused of presenting a fake Covid 19 exemption evidence to Australian immigration authorities.

This ought to be on the FP,but not in the way you've couched it.

OLAADEGBU:


The title says "Novak Djokovic DID Have A Vaccine Exemption To Enter Australia" this is contrary to what the Australian Government has been saying. The topic says that it is confirmed that Djokovic was indeed exempted before he boarded the plane to travel to Australia. You can read the rest of the story in the hyperlinks posted in the OP.

ThierryJay:


My point is people would not have known the initial background to your story. Did they know that he was even denied entry and is at risk of missing the grand slam? That catches more attention before you talk about him now having the exemption, else it just looks mundane. I would not have clicked this thread by just looking at your topic but only did because I knew the background story from elsewhere.