A question lingering: if Djokovic was claiming a coronavirus positive in last six months as reason for an exemption, when did he get it?
According to BBC, his lawyers say that Djokovic tested positive very recently, less than a month ago, on December 16.
bbc.com/news/world-aus…
December 16 was a busy day for Djokovic:
In addition to purportedly getting a PCR test for Covid that came back positive, Djokovic also was part of a maskless, indoor panel discussion and attended a maskless, indoor ceremony for a stamp being made in his honor on that day.
A positive test on December 16 would have come too late for the Tennis Australia exemption process deadline as described to players.
According to Tennis Australia documents, the deadline for applying for an exemption had been nearly a week earlier, “no later than” December 10.
There’s more:
On December 17th, the day *after* Djokovic’s purported positive PCR test on December 16th, Djokovic attended an award ceremony for children at the Novak Tennis Center.
Many posts from the kids there posing for pictures with him that day, again masklessly indoors.
The court filing isn't totally clear on if December 16 was date the PCR test was administered or if it was day he got his results back (or both, results can often be gotten within hours now).
"the date of the first positive COVID PCR test was recorded on 16 December 2021"...
...but this all also begs the question: around December 16, with only a month left until the #AusOpen began, what was Djokovic planning to do if he *didn't* get a positive test for Covid?
Was that somehow his plan for getting into the #AusOpen? Contracting a disease? Truly odd.
One more item to add to this timeline:
On December 18th, two days after his purported positive PCR test on December 16th, Djokovic did a photoshoot with L’Equipe.
NEW:
Novak Djokovic’s positive PCR test which he submitted to Melbourne court states that sample was taken and positive result returned on December 16, 7 hours apart.
This means all those pictures of Djokovic maskless with kids on the 17th came AFTER his positive Covid result.
For timeline completeness:
Djokovic produced a negative PCR test dated December 22nd.
Folks, it gets fishier.
Djokovic’s presented positive Covid test from December 16 (confirmation code 7371999-259039) comes with a QR code on it.
When you scan that QR code (and you can try yourself), it takes you to a website showing that test was *negative*, not positive.
🤷
And now I *just* tried it again and it says the opposite thing for the same test: positive.
Who is messing with this website?
(Folks are getting a mix of positive/negative results from this same QR code now, I don't know what to make of it beyond it being bizarre.)
Djordje Djokovic, Novak’s youngest brother, was asked about this today in Belgrade and promptly ended the press conference.
NEW:
More document trouble for Novak Djokovic.
On his Australian Travel Declaration, released by federal court yesterday, Djokovic stated he had NOT traveled in 14 days prior to his Jan 6 arrival here.
In fact, Djokovic had traveled from Belgrade to Spain within that time.
ATD form forewarns on that specific question:
“Note: giving false or misleading information is a serious offence. You may also be liable to a civil penalty for giving false or misleading information.”
If there is intent in the government to re-examine his visa, this could hurt.
(This is one of the correct reactions to this document, yes.)
More new here:
According to attachment to Djokovic's affidavit, border officers noted Djokovic said Tennis Australia had "completed the Australian Travel Declaration on his behalf."
Djokovic remains culpable for its accuracy, but *man*, TA wasn't doing him favors lately, huh?
...or did TA?
A flustered Djokovic gave conflicting answers about this during his airport interrogation, naming "the government" or his agent.
He was sure, though, that he hadn't done it himself...which he may just want to do in the future for a straightforward form like this.
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