Novak Djokovic clarifies ‘human error’ on Australian immigration form, as visa saga continues

In a lengthy Instagram post, Djokovic said he wanted to address ‘continuing misinformation’ about his attendance at events after positive Covid test

He said a mistake on his immigration form about previous travel before arriving in Australia was a ‘human error’ and ‘not deliberate’

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Novak Djokovic has been under fire since arriving in Melbourne for the Australian Open. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:15pm, 12 Jan 2022

Tennis star Novak Djokovic released a statement on Wednesday to address what he called “continuing misinformation” about his activities and isolation after testing positive for Covid-19.

The statement came as Australia’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke was still considering whether to cancel the world No 1 visa ahead of the Australian Open, which starts on Monday.

The nine-time and defending Australian Open champion remains in limbo before the year’s first grand slam. Despite winning a legal battle allowing him to stay in the country, he still faces the prospect of deportation.

Reports emerged that he had been attending events in his native Serbia last month while infectious, and had made errors on an immigration form to enter Australia that could potentially result in the cancellation of his visa.

Djokovic said the reports were “hurtful and concerning to my family”.

“I want to emphasise that I have tried very hard to ensure the safety of everyone and my compliance with testing obligations,” the statement said.