Novak Djokovic breaks silence from Melbourne immigration detention hotel
Novak Djokovic has spoken for the first time since his arrival in an Australian immigration detention hotel.
Djokovic travelled to Melbourne with the intention of defending his Australian Open crown before being refused entry into the country.
The world number one had not been full vaccination as per Australian Border Force rules and the medical exemption he believed he had was determined to be invalid.
He has since been moved to a hotel in Melbourne while he awaits the verdict of an appeal in court.
Many have spoken for Djokovic since the incident, with his family very vocal and the PTPA issuing a statement.
Now, though, Novak Djokovic has reached out himself.
“Thank you to people around the world for your support,” he wrote on his Instagram story.
“I can feel it and it is greatly appreciated.
“Thank you to my family, to Serbia and to all good people all over the world who are sending me their support. Thank dear God for health”
Djokovic’s Instagram story, in Serbian he says: “Thank you to my family, to Serbia and to all good people all over the world who are sending me their support. Thank dear God for health”. 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/ZQOC6J4Wxo
— Saša Ozmo (@ozmo_sasa) January 7, 2022
Djokovic’s family have alleged that Djokovic is “a captive” in Australia, but Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has denied that.
“Mr. Djokovic is not being held captive in Australia,” she told ABC.
“He is free to leave at any time that he chooses to do so and (Australian) Border Force (ABF) will actually facilitate that.”
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