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Djokovic was deported in 2022 after he failed to be vaccinated against COVID-19
Novak Djokovic has made a serious allegation, claiming he was "poisoned" with lead and mercury in his food during his brief detention in Melbourne in 2022.
Djokovic’s detention preceded his deportation from Australia due to his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19, preventing him from competing in the Australian Open that year.
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What Djokovic said
In a lengthy interview published by GQ magazine on Thursday, the former world number one stated, “I had some health issues. And I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed some food that poisoned me. I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia.
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"I never told this to anybody publicly but discovered that I had a high level of heavy metal. I had lead, a very high level of lead and mercury.”
When directly asked if he believed his food was deliberately contaminated, Djokovic responded, "That's the only way."
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On Friday in Melbourne, while preparing for his pursuit of an 11th Australian Open title and 25th Grand Slam crown, Djokovic declined to provide further details or evidence linking his elevated heavy metal levels to the food provided during his detention.
"The GQ article came out yesterday. I did that interview many months ago. I would appreciate not talking more in detail about that because I’d like to focus on tennis and why I am here. If you want to see what I’ve said and get more info on that, you can always revert to the article," he said.
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Australia's Department of Home Affairs has declined to comment on Djokovic's specific case, citing privacy reasons.
Australian Government reacts to Djokovic’s claims
However, the government has stated that its lease agreement with the Park Hotel, where Djokovic was detained, included provisions for freshly cooked, individually portioned meals.
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They also assert that all catering staff had undergone food safety certifications and that, as of December 31, 2021, the hotel had been providing food samples from each meal to the detention services contractor.
The government maintains that detainees had access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food and drink, catering to specific medical and dietary needs, and were offered breakfast items around the clock.
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