Djokovic's court appeal for medical exemption reveals positive Covid test in Dec

Follow us on

World No 1 Novak Djokovic's appeal to enter Australia with a medical exemption is based upon a recent positive Covid-19 test, the documents submitted by his lawyers in the court revealed.

In court documents published on Saturday, it was stated that Djokovic recorded a positive test on December 16, and has not had a fever or respiratory symptoms of Covid-19 in the last 72 hours".

According to his legal team, Djokovic was also provided with a letter from the chief medical officer of Tennis Australia recording he had a medical exemption from Covid vaccination.

It is claimed the exemption certificate was "provided by an Independent Expert Medical Review panel commissioned by Tennis Australia", and "the decision of that panel had been reviewed and endorsed by an independent Medical Exemptions Review Panel of the Victorian State Government", a sky sports report said.

The Serb players' lawyers added he was granted an "Australian Travel Declaration" because he was told by the authorities [he met] the requirements for a quarantine-free arrival into Australia".

Notably, the 34-year-old in his Instagram post on Tuesday said that he will be travelling to Australia with an 'exemption permission'. But he was denied entry upon landing in Melbourne late on Wednesday and authorities cancelled his visa.

The player's lawyers then launched an appeal seeking to overturn the federal government decision, with a court agreeing not to deport him before a full hearing scheduled for Monday. The nine-time Australian Open winner is currently held in isolation at the Park Hotel in Carlton, Melbourne, awaiting the outcome of an appeal against the decision by the Australian Border Force (ABF) to cancel his entry visa and deport him.

The hearing on Monday will decide Djokovic's fate on participating in this month's Australian Open.