Daijiworld Media Network- Melbourne

Melbourne, Jan 10: Tennis star Novak Djokovic has made a startling claim, revealing that he was “poisoned” during his detention at a Melbourne hotel in January 2022. Speaking to GQ in a recent interview, Djokovic stated, “I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed with some food that poisoned me.”

Djokovic explained, “I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discovered that I had a high level of heavy metal. Heavy metals, I had lead, very high levels of lead and mercury.”

The Serbian 24-time Grand Slam champion faced a tumultuous period ahead of the 2022 Australian Open, having his visa cancelled following a series of controversies surrounding Australia’s strict COVID-19 entry requirements and his unvaccinated status. He was subsequently detained in a Melbourne hotel shared with asylum-seekers.

GQ reported that Australia’s Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on the matter, citing privacy reasons.

In a recent interview with Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper, Djokovic revealed that he still experiences trauma from the events of three years ago and feels stressed when arriving at Melbourne’s airport.

The Saga

Djokovic previously described his detention and deportation as an “unfortunate event,” expressing gratitude for the support of the Serbian president during the ordeal.

The 11-day ordeal over Djokovic’s entry visa culminated in his deportation, as he failed to meet Australia’s strict COVID-19 vaccination requirements. To enter Australia, Djokovic had submitted a positive test issued in Serbia in December 2021 for a visa exemption due to recent recovery from the virus.

The Australian government later cancelled his visa, citing concerns that his presence could incite anti-vaccination sentiments.