Novak Djokovic was given a written vaccine exemption to enter Australia because he contracted Covid-19 last month, his lawyers insist.
In court documents published on Saturday, it is stated that the Serbian recorded a positive test on December 16, and has ‘not had a fever or respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 72 hours’.
Djokovic is being held in a government detention centreAFP
Djokovic has been detained at an immigration facility in Melbourne since Thursday morning after his visa was cancelled following scrutiny of the medical exemption he had secured to travel to the first tennis major of the year.
According to his legal team, Djokovic was also provided with a letter from the Chief Medical Officer of Tennis Australia recording he had a medical exemption from Covid vaccination.
It is claimed that the exemption certificate was ‘provided by an Independent Expert Medical Review panel commissioned by Tennis Australia’, and that ‘the decision of that panel had been reviewed and endorsed by an independent Medical Exemptions Review Panel of the Victorian State Government’.
Djokovic is chasing a record 22nd grand slam titleAFP
Djokovic’s lawyers added that he was granted an ‘Australian Travel Declaration because he was told by the authorities that [he met] the requirements for a quarantine-free arrival into Australia’.
Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open winner, must wait for a hearing on Monday to discover his fate.
Betting Offer Of The Day
BETFAIR are offering new customers £60 in free bets when you place a £10 football bet
CLAIM OFFER
Place a £10 bet on football (Jan 7 – 15), at min. odds 1/5 (1.2) — get £60 in free bets. £40 free bets will be awarded after the qualifying bet has been settled and £20 free bet the following day. Only deposits via cards will qualify, Apple pay not valid on this promotion. T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org
