Novak Djokovic's pre-Australian Open press conference descended into acrimony when he refused to answer questions about his claim he was “poisoned” here three years ago.
Melbourne woke up on Friday to an interview that Djokovic had given to GQ magazine, in which he stated that the food he had been given before his deportation in 2022 had left him with a “very high level of lead and mercury.”
The issue was not raised during the main part of his press conference, but just as he was about to leave the room, an Australian journalist demanded to know if he had any evidence that his illness was caused by the food he was served while in detention. .
“The GQ article appeared on the Internet yesterday,” Djokovic said. 'I did that interview many months ago. I would appreciate not talking in more detail about that, as I would like to focus on tennis and why I am here.
“If you want to see what I said and learn more about it, you can always go back to the article.”
A television reporter shouted demanding that Djokovic address what is becoming a big issue in Australia, but the 38-year-old was already walking towards the door.
Novak Djokovic made the shocking claims that he was 'poisoned' while in Australia in 2022.
Djokovic recently revealed he still feels “trauma” when visiting Melbourne after his deportation
He is set to compete in his first Grand Slam in partnership with his new coach Andy Murray.
In 2022, Djokovic was denied entry to Australia to compete in the Open because he was not vaccinated against Covid 19. He was detained for several days and has often complained about the conditions in which he was being held.
Djokovic spoke about that moment during his GQ interview and said: “When I got home, I had some health problems. And I realized in that hotel in Melbourne that they fed me food that poisoned me.
“I never told anyone this publicly, but I found out I had a very high level of heavy metal, a very high level of lead and mercury.”
When asked if that came from the food he was given in Australia, he replied: “That's the only way.”
'I was very sick. It was like a flu but when days passed after a simple flu got me so bad, I had an emergency medical team treat me at home and they had to do toxicology tests.'
It is not uncommon for food to be contaminated with traces of lead and mercury, but until Djokovic takes the opportunity to clarify his point – an opportunity he was given on Friday – his use of the word “poisoned” could suggest that he believes his Food was deliberately manipulated.
Nick Kyrgios has formed a close bond with Djokovic since supporting him during the deportation saga, and the Australian once again came to his friend's defense.
Asked if he had spoken to Djokovic about the “poison” claim, Kyrgios replied: “I haven't spoken to him.” I didn't even know it. We (Australia) treat him like shit, that's for sure. We shouldn't have done that.'
Djokovic was detained for several days in 2022 for not being vaccinated against Covid-19
Fellow tennis star Nick Kyrgios has openly criticized Djokovic's treatment in 2022
Djokovic's deportation in 2022 has become a hugely political issue and earlier this week Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized the previous federal government's handling of the case.
“I found it surprising that, in the run-up to Christmas, the then federal government denied Novak Djokovic the opportunity to see his Orthodox minister, priest during that period,” he said. “That was something that I think was hard to justify.”
An Australian Border Force statement said: “The Park Hotel (where Djokovic was detained) was certified and licensed by the City of Melbourne as a food service premises and was subject to audit and inspection by the Department of Health.” All catering team staff had obtained food safety certifications.
“Menu options were offered to allow detainees to choose from various proteins, vegetables, salads, and rice and pasta dishes.”