Tennis world No.1 Novak Djokovic recovered from COVID-19 before travelling to Australia and met the prescribed requirements for a vaccination exemption, his lawyers will argue.
But photos posted on social media have rocked those claims, with Djokovic pictured maskless and surrounded by children at public events in the days immediately following his claimed positive test.
The 34-year-old Serb remains in immigration detention in Melbourne after having his visa cancelled by the federal government.
His case returns to court on Monday, with Djokovic fighting for the right to remain in the country and the chance to retain his Australian Open title.
Documents released by the Federal Court on Saturday show Djokovic contracted COVID-19 on December 16 and was free from symptoms ahead of his arrival in Australia on Wednesday.
“The visa holder (Djokovic) stated that Tennis Australia facilitated his medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirement and completed the Australian Travel Declaration on his behalf,” a Home Affairs representative said, as quoted in court papers.
“I consider that Tennis Australia would have facilitated his medical exemption and Australian Travel Declaration based on information (Djokovic) provided to them. As such, I don’t consider these constitute extenuating circumstances beyond (Djokovic’s) control.
“I apply significant weight in favour of visa cancellation for this factor.”
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It will be Djokovic’s second positive COVID test after contracting the virus during his ill-fated Adria Tour in June 2020.
The tennis champion’s lawyer will now argue that he met the criteria for a temporary exemption under the guidelines of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). And furthermore, that he was denied procedural fairness during the decision to revoke his visa.
Court documents cite the ATAGI advice, including: “COVID-19 vaccination in people who have had PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection can be deferred for a maximum of six months after the acute illness, as a temporary exemption due to acute major medical illness”.
Djokovic provided evidence that he was diagnosed with COVID-19 on December 16.
Photos on social media show he attended a Euroleague basketball game on December 14, sitting courtside without a mask.
He shared photos on his own social media from a Serbian National Postal Service ceremony on the day his lawyers claim he tested positive for COVID.
And then attended an award ceremony at the Novak Tennis Centre in Belgrade the following day, posing with children.
After his arrival in Australia on Wednesday evening, court papers show Djokovic had a sleepless night as he was questioned by authorities at times including 4am, before the visa revocation at 7.42am.
A partial transcript of that interview included “you have stated you are not vaccinated against COVID-19”.
Djokovic has previously declined to confirm his vaccination status.
“Mr Djokovic had received, on 30 December 2021, a letter from the Chief Medical Officer of Tennis Australia recording that he had been provided with a ‘medical exemption from COVID vaccination’ on the ground that he had recently recovered from COVID,” the court documents read.
In a letter leaked to media, Tennis Australia rejected that players were knowingly misled, insisting organisers had followed “instructions”.
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2022-01-09 03:34:00Z
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