Novak Djokovic returns on Australian Open 2022 and makes an accusation

Novak Djokovic returns to the Australian Open 2022 and throws an accusation

Novak Djokovic has revealed that he was "poisoned" by lead and mercury in his food during his troubled and brief stay in Melbourne in 2022, before being expelled on the eve of the Australian Open. On that occasion the former world number one had his visa cancelled and was eventually kicked out of the country for his refusal to vaccinate against Covid.

&Eegrave; was held in a detention center while fighting an unsuccessful legal battle to stay. "I had health problems. And I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne they fed me food that poisoned me", the 37-year-old Djokovic told GQ magazine in a lengthy interview of which an excerpt was released.

"I made some discoveries when I returned to Serbia – the former world No. 1's words. I never told anyone publicly, but I discovered that I had a very high level of heavy metals. I had lead, a very high level of lead and mercury". When he è was asked if he believed his food was contaminated, the Serb replied, "È the only explanation".

GQ said he contacted the Australian Department of Home Affairs for an answer, but was told he could not comment "for privacy" reasons. In the interview, Djokovic also makes it a point to specify that he has "no hard feelings for the Australian people" despite the controversial 2022 affair.

In fact, twelve months later, è returned to Melbourne where he won the title. "Many Australians I have met in recent years in their own country or other parts of the world have come to me, apologizing for the treatment I received, because they were embarrassed by their own government" at the time, they were embarrassed by their own government", said the Paris 2024 Olympic gold medalist.