The Times Australia
Google AI
The Times World News

.

Djokovic admits doing photoshoot knowing he was COVID positive

  • Written by Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Novak Djokovic on Wednesday admitted he undertook an interview and photoshoot in Serbia last month after a receiving a positive COVID test result.

He also conceded information on his Travel Declaration to Australian authorities was incorrect, attributing that to a “human error” by his agent.

Earlier, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić told the BBC it would be “a clear breach of Serbian rules” if Djokovic had been in public after a positive Covid test. “If you’re positive you have to be in isolation,” she said.

As the tennis star fought to resist a second cancellation of his visa, his lawyers submitted more material to Immigration Minister Alex Hawke.

Hawke’s office indicated the decision on Djokovic’s fate was delayed while the minister considered this.

“Mr Djokovic’s lawyers have recently provided lengthy further submissions and supporting documentation said to be relevant to the possible cancellation of Mr Djokovic’s visa. Naturally, this will affect the timeframe for a decision,” Hawke’s spokesman said.

Djokovic took to social media to address what he said was “continuing misinformation” about his activities in the lead up to his positive COVID test result in December.

He said this needed correction, “particularly in the interest of alleviating broader concern in the community about my presence in Australia, and to address matters which are very hurtful and concerning to my family”.

Djokovic said he had attended a basketball game on December 14 in Belgrade. After it was reported people there had tested positive, although he had no symptoms, he took a rapid antigen test (RAT) on December 16, which was negative. “Out of an abundance of caution” he also had a PCR test that day.

The following day he presented awards to children at a tennis event, after taking a RAT before the event, which was negative.

“I was asymptomatic and felt good, and I had not received the notification of a positive PCR result until after that event.”

On December 18 he fulfilled a commitment for a L'Equipe interview and photoshoot, but cancelled other events. He did not want to let down the journalist, he said, adding he wore a mask except when being photographed. He then isolated.

Read more: Novak Djokovic: the legal problem of having one rule for some, another for everyone else[1]

He said that “on reflection” he had made “an error of judgement” – “I accept that I should have rescheduled this commitment”.

Djokovic acknowledged the falsity of the information on his travel declaration, which Border Force has been probing. The declaration asks “Have you travelled, or will you travel, in the 14 days prior to your flight to Australia?” His form said he had not, when in fact he had been in Belgrade within the period before leaving Spain, where he lives, for Australia.

In his social media post, he said the declaration was submitted by his support team and “my agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box about my previous travel”.

“This was a human error and certainly not deliberate.” Additional information had been given to the federal government to clarify this matter, he said.

Read more: Novak Djokovic's path to legal vindication was long and convoluted. It may also be fleeting[2]

Before his statement, Djokovic’s mother Dijana Djokovic appeared on Australian morning TV, saying she was very worried his visa would be cancelled again.

“Don’t throw him out, he is tennis player, he is not politician, he is not criminal, he is not murderer, he’s just tennis player, the best in the world, just let him play,” she said on the Seven Network.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said Border Force would “be looking at everything that happened in relation to timings of the interview process” that culminated in the cancellation of the unvaccinatred Djokovic’s visa at the border last week.

That decision was overturned in court on Monday, with the government conceding he had not been accorded procedural fairness in the interview process.

Read more https://theconversation.com/djokovic-admits-doing-photoshoot-knowing-he-was-covid-positive-174784

Times Magazine

AI is failing ‘Humanity’s Last Exam’. So what does that mean for machine intelligence?

How do you translate ancient Palmyrene script from a Roman tombstone? How many paired tendons ...

Does Cloud Accounting Provide Adequate Security for Australian Businesses?

Today, many Australian businesses rely on cloud accounting platforms to manage their finances. Bec...

Freak Weather Spikes ‘Allergic Disease’ and Eczema As Temperatures Dip

“Allergic disease” and eczema cases are spiking due to the current freak weather as the Bureau o...

IPECS Phone System in 2026: The Future of Smart Business Communication

By 2026, business communication is no longer just about making and receiving calls. It’s about speed...

With Nvidia’s second-best AI chips headed for China, the US shifts priorities from security to trade

This week, US President Donald Trump approved previously banned exports[1] of Nvidia’s powerful ...

Navman MiVue™ True 4K PRO Surround honest review

If you drive a car, you should have a dashcam. Need convincing? All I ask that you do is search fo...

The Times Features

Do You Need a Building & Pest Inspection for New Homes in Melbourne?

Many buyers assume that a brand-new home does not need an inspection. After all, everything is new...

A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Your Office Move in Perth

Planning an office relocation can be a complex task, especially when business operations need to con...

What’s behind the surge in the price of gold and silver?

Gold and silver don’t usually move like meme stocks. They grind. They trend. They react to inflati...

State of Play: Nationals vs Liberals

The State of Play with the National Party and How Things Stand with the Liberal Party Australia’s...

SMEs face growing payroll challenges one year in on wage theft reforms

A year after wage theft reforms came into effect, Australian SMEs are confronting a new reality. P...

Evil Ray declares war on the sun

Australians love the sun. The sun doesn't love them back. Melanoma takes over 1,300 Australian liv...

Resolutions for Renovations? What to do before renovating in 2026

Rolling into the New Year means many Aussies have fresh plans for their homes with renovat...

Designing an Eco Conscious Kitchen That Lasts

Sustainable kitchens are no longer a passing trend in Australia. They reflect a growing shift towa...

Why Sydney Entrepreneur Aleesha Naxakis is Trading the Boardroom for a Purpose-Driven Crown

Roselands local Aleesha Naxakis is on a mission to prove that life is a gift...