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08th Jan 2022

Novak Djokovic photographed maskless at event a day after supposed positive Covid test

Charlie Herbert

Djokovic visited a tennis centre the day after his lawyers claim he tested positive

Photos have emerged of a maskless Novak Djokovic posing for pictures with children the day after his lawyers say he tested positive for Covid-19.

On a visit to one of his tennis centres on December 17, the Serb can be seen posing for photos just the day after he claims to have received a positive PCR test.

The world number one is at the center of a storm surrounding whether the vaccine exemption he was granted to enter Australia this month was valid.

The tennis star is currently being detained at an immigration centre before a court hearing to decide whether he can stay in the country or not.

His lawyers claim the exemption was given to him because he had “recently recovered from COVID.” They say he tested positive for the virus on December 16, and therefore did not need to be vaccinated to enter Australia.

But in a series of tweets, journalist Ben Rothenberg found holes in Novak’s story.

On the same day he supposedly tested positive for the virus, he attended a “maskless, indoor panel discussion, and attended a maskless, indoor ceremony for a stamp being made in his honor.”

And the next day, he visited children at one of his tennis centres, having maskless photos taken with them.

Along with all this, Djokovic’s alleged positive test was after the deadline for the exemption process had passed, with players having had until “no later than Friday 10 December” to apply for a medical exemption.

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On Monday a decision will be made on whether the 20-time Grand Slam champion can stay in the country and compete at the Australian Open.

The first Grand Slam of the year, in which Novak is the reigning champion, will get underway on January 17.