Novak Djokovic has sensationally claimed he was lead poisoned when detained in Australia before being deported in 2022.
The tennis superstar recently revealed the trauma he still suffers from around his Melbourne Covid nightmare in 2022.
Then Immigration Minister Alex Hawke infamously denied Djokovic entry into the country three years ago because he was not fully vaccinated.
Djokovic was detained at Melbourne’s Park Hotel for five days while he contested the decision before being sent home.
In an interview with GQ Ahead of this year’s Australian Open, the 24-time Grand Slam champion alleged he had been stoned during his hotel stay.
‘I had some health problems. And I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne they fed me food that poisoned me,” Djokovic said.
Novak Djokovic claimed he was ‘poisoned’ before being deported from Australia in 2022
The tennis legend was deported following a dispute over his vaccination status in January 2022.
Djokovic recently revealed he still feels “trauma” when visiting Melbourne after his deportation
‘I had some discoveries when I returned to Serbia. I never said this to anyone publicly, but I found out that I had a very high level of heavy metal. Heavy metals. I had lead, very high level of lead and mercury.
Asked if he believed it came from food, Djokovic replied: “That’s the only way.”
A spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Home Affairs told GQ: “For privacy reasons, the Department cannot comment on individual cases.”
Djokovic claimed that the only food he had was provided by the hotel, while he claimed that his treatment was different from other quarantined athletes because he had been placed in a “sort of jail-type room.”
Djokovic was forced to leave Australia just days before his appearance on court as the defending Australian Open champion.
His detention came after he entered the country unvaccinated during pandemic border restrictions.
Djokovic’s visa had been canceled by the Australian government on the grounds of “health and good order”, and an appeal against the decision was ultimately rejected.
The Serbian star suggested his deportation was due to the Australian government’s fears that he had become a “hero” of the growing anti-vaccine movement in the country at the time.
Djokovic stated that his deportation was due to anti-vaccines considering him a “hero”
Anthony Albanese declared the treatment given to Djokovic by the former federal government “astonishing”
“That’s the reason I was deported from Australia,” Djokovic said. —That’s what the three federal judges finally said. Their ruling is that they are not in a position to question the discretionary right of the (immigration) minister.
‘It was very political. It really had nothing to do with the vaccine or COVID or anything else. It’s simply political. The politicians couldn’t stand me being there. I think it was less harmful for them to deport me than to keep me there.
Djokovic insisted his stance has not changed, stating he is “neither pro-vaccine nor anti-vaccine”, with the 37-year-old suggesting people should have the right to choose.
He confirmed that he did not take the vaccine following his deportation from Australia, saying: “I don’t feel like I need it” and that he is “extremely conscious” of what he consumes as a professional athlete.
Djokovic maintained he was not a threat to anyone when he arrived in Australia in 2022, with the star saying he “had antibodies” after testing positive for Covid on December 16, 2021.
The positive test had initially helped Djokovic get an exemption from Australia’s rules on unvaccinated people entering the country.
Djokovic’s visa was eventually canceled after a 10-day saga, forcing the defending champion to miss that year’s Australian Open.
Djokovic has been the dominant men’s player at the Australian Open, winning 10 titles.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner (above) enters the Australian Open as the number one seed in men’s singles
Earlier this week, the Australian Prime Minister Antonio Albanese declared Novak DjokovicThe treatment he received from the previous federal government was “surprising.”
“I made comments about it at the time,” Albanese told reporters.
“I found it surprising that, in the run-up to Christmas, the then federal government denied Novak Djokovic the opportunity to see his Orthodox minister, a priest during that period.
“That was something that I think was hard to justify.”
His comments came after Djokovic spoke of feeling “trauma” when he returns to Melbourne.
“I have to be very frank,” he said. Herald of the sun.
‘The last two times I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration, I had a little trauma from three years ago.
And there are still some traces there when I go through passport control, just checking if anyone from the immigration area is approaching.
‘The person who checks my passport: are they going to take me away, detain me again or are they going to let me go?
Djokovic will begin his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam in Melbourne next week
The tennis legend has now included former rival Andy Murray (left) in his coaching team.
“I must admit I have that feeling.”
In 2023, Djokovic told Channel Nine he felt like ‘the villain of the world’ in Melbourne, where he was detained in a hotel with asylum seekers before being deported.
Djokovic will begin his quest for an 11th Australian Open title next week, with the tennis legend now coached by former rival Andy Murray.
The seventh seed will begin his campaign for a record 25th Grand Slam title against American wild card Nishesh Basavareddy.