Novak Djokovic has launched an announcement he says can be his final earlier than the Australian authorities decides whether or not to re-cancel his visa.
In it, the world No 1 male tennis participant blamed his agent for an incorrect declaration about his pre-flight journey and acknowledged an “error of judgment” in knowingly attending an occasion whereas Covid-positive.
So what did we be taught concerning the timeline of Djokovic’s prognosis and actions earlier than his journey to Australia – and what are the questions nonetheless unanswered within the visa cancellation saga?
What did Djokovic say earlier than arrival in Australia?
On 1 January, Djokovic’s agent submitted an Australian journey declaration on his behalf, declaring “no” when requested: “Have you ever travelled or will you journey within the 14 days previous to your flight to Australia?”
Djokovic had obtained an exemption to vaccination necessities from the Tennis Australia chief medical officer, authorised by a Victorian authorities impartial assessment board, stating that he had obtained a constructive PCR take a look at to Covid-19 “recorded on” 16 December.
What did Djokovic say in court docket paperwork?
Djokovic’s affidavit to the federal circuit court docket difficult his visa cancellation set out this timeline:
18 November – the Australian authorities granted him a visa.
16 December – he “was examined and identified with Sars-CoV-2”.
22 December – his second PCR take a look at returned a damaging outcome.
1 January – he authorised his agent to submit his journey declaration.
2 January – he obtained a border journey allow from the Victorian authorities.
4 January – he flew from Spain to Melbourne by way of Dubai.
5 January 11.30pm – he arrived in Melbourne.
6 January – his visa was cancelled.
What inconsistencies emerged?
Guardian Australia and others reported that Djokovic appeared at public occasions within the days after his 16 December take a look at outcome regardless of Serbia’s guidelines requiring 14 days of self-isolation.
These included a ceremony for the disclosing of a stamp in his honour in Belgrade, which he posted about on Twitter, and an occasion on the Tennis Affiliation of Belgrade for an award ceremony on 17 December.
On 18 December, the French newspaper L’Équipe mentioned he took half in an interview and its Champion of Champions awards photoshoot in Belgrade.
Djokovic was pictured on the streets of Belgrade in a social media put up dated 25 December, in obvious contradiction of his declaration kind that said he had not travelled within the two weeks earlier than his flight to Australia, which Australian Border Drive started to research.
What does Djokovic say now?
In Djokovic’s Instagram assertion on Wednesday he set out the next timeline:
14 December – he attended a basketball sport in Belgrade after which it was reported that a lot of individuals examined constructive with Covid.
16 December – he took a speedy antigen take a look at which was damaging and a PCR take a look at.
17 December – he attended a tennis occasion in Belgrade to current awards to kids, after testing damaging once more on a speedy take a look at. “I used to be asymptomatic and felt good, and I had not obtained the notification of a constructive PCR take a look at outcome till after that occasion,” Djokovic wrote.
18 December – regardless of now realizing he had examined constructive, he attended his tennis centre in Belgrade to uphold a “long-standing dedication for a L’Equipe interview” as a result of he “felt obliged” to and “didn’t wish to let the journalist down”.
“Whereas I went residence after the interview to isolate for the required interval, on reflection, this was an error of judgment and I settle for that I ought to have rescheduled this dedication,” Djokovic mentioned.
Why does it matter?
Djokovic’s assertion on Wednesday that he didn't be taught of his constructive take a look at outcome till after the occasion on 17 December follows his personal assertion to the court docket that he was “examined and identified” on 16 December and Tennis Australia’s chief medical officer’s letter that his constructive outcome was “recorded on” 16 December.
Djokovic’s acknowledgment that his agent made an “administrative mistake” in “ticking the wrong field” on his Australian journey declaration will arm the immigration minister, Alex Hawke, with one other potential floor to cancel his visa.
Hawke has the ability to cancel the visa if he's glad of a floor comparable to this, or the unique floor that an unvaccinated particular person may pose a threat to public well being, and that cancellation is within the public curiosity.
What hasn’t Djokovic defined?
Djokovic’s assertion didn't deal with a Der Spiegel report claiming anomalies within the apparently constructive PCR take a look at of 16 December.
On Monday, Der Spiegel claimed that when it scanned the QR code belonging to Djokovic’s PCR take a look at at 1.19pm German time it mentioned: “Take a look at outcome Detrimental.” Nevertheless an hour later, after one other scan, it mentioned: “Constructive.”
On Tuesday, Der Spiegel mentioned it had discovered an anomaly within the timestamp for the digital model of Djokovic’s constructive take a look at which, it claimed, indicated the outcome may very well be from 26 December and never 16 December. Spiegel acknowledged the timestamp may additionally replicate when the outcome was downloaded.
When requested about Djokovic’s PCR take a look at on Monday, his brother Djordje insisted your entire course of was public and “all paperwork are authorized”.
Wednesday’s social media put up additionally didn’t clarify why Djokovic didn’t put on a masks when he visited the kids whereas awaiting his PCR take a look at outcome. He mentioned he took a speedy antigen take a look at earlier than going to the occasion “and it was damaging” – presumably a false damaging.
The Instagram assertion additional didn’t deal with why he didn’t inform L’Equipe he was constructive on the time of the interview and photoshoot.
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