Training in Marbella
Now the Spanish authorities are also investigating Djokovic
Novak Djokovic during training in Melbourne. It is still unclear whether the tennis star will be allowed to stay in Australia.
© Graham Denholm / Getty Images
Novak Djokovic has to put up with further questions because of his behavior in the corona pandemic. Spanish authorities are now also to investigate the tennis professional because he apparently trained in Marbella without a permit.
In addition to the Australian authorities, Spain and Serbia are now investigating the Djokovic case and are looking to see whether the tennis star has violated corona requirements. According to matching media reports, Spanish authorities are investigating whether tennis professional Novak Djokovic had a special permit for his training stay in Marbella from the end of December to the beginning of January. Since September 2021, Serbian citizens need a corona vaccination certificate or, in the case of a non-vaccination, an exception permit to enter the EU country. Apparently nothing is known of an application for such a special permit either in the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid or in the Spanish embassy in Belgrade.
In the home of the world number one in Serbia, the authorities are also looking closely at Djokovic’s behavior. They are investigating whether Djokovic adhered to the quarantine regulations after testing positive for Corona on December 16.
Meanwhile, the game continues in Australia. According to media reports, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke wants to announce a decision on Friday whether he will make use of his ministerial rights and withdraw Djokovic’s visa.
Did Alex Hawke play for time?
On Wednesday it became known that new information from Djokovic’s lawyers had postponed the timeframe for Hawkes’ decision. After the fiasco for the government in the first court case, when Djokovic had to be given the visa again due to a formal error, the minister apparently wants to make a decision this time that will withstand the objections of Djokovic’s lawyers, which can certainly be expected, in the event of a renewed deportation .
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Maybe Hawke is playing for time too. The closer it gets to the start of the Australian Open this Monday, the less time Djokovic’s lawyers would have to appeal against a renewed deportation in court. The daily newspaper “The Age” wrote on Thursday that the Djokovic side hoped that in the event of a negative decision by Hawke on Friday, the court could then deal with the case at the weekend. But that is not certain.
There is therefore little understanding for a medical exemption for an unvaccinated multi-millionaire playing tennis. Especially since there are still many questions about the approval of Djokovic’s visa. The Serbian statement on Instagram on Wednesday, in which he admitted a few mistakes but mostly blamed others for them, was not the liberation he had hoped for.
Also read: Oddities in Djokovic’s PCR test – so experts identified suspicious data
Sources: “The Age”, “Image”, DPA