Novak Djokovic has alleged that he was “poisoned” with lead and mercury in his food while detained in Melbourne in 2022 before being deported ahead of the Australian Open.
The former world number one was deported due to his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid-19, following the cancellation of his visa. During his legal battle to remain in the country, Djokovic was held at a detention hotel.
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“I had some health issues. And I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed some food that poisoned me,” Djokovic told GQ magazine in an interview published on Thursday.
“I had some discoveries when I came back to Serbia. I never told this to anybody publicly, but discoveries that I had a really high level of heavy metal. I had lead, a very high level of lead and mercury.”
When asked if he believed his food had been contaminated, Djokovic responded, “That’s the only way.”
In a press conference on Friday, Djokovic declined to provide further details, stating, “I would appreciate not talking more in detail about that because I’d like to focus on the 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.”
A spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Home Affairs said it could not comment on individual cases “for privacy reasons.” However, the government highlighted that detainees at the Park Hotel, where Djokovic was held, received freshly cooked meals that were culturally appropriate, nutritious, and catered to specific dietary or medical needs.
Despite the controversy, Djokovic expressed no ill feelings toward Australians. In the GQ interview, he revealed, “A lot of Australian people that I meet in Australia the last few years or elsewhere in the world, have come up to me, apologising to me for the treatment I received because they were embarrassed by their own government at that point.”
Djokovic added that he was grateful for the reinstatement of his visa, which allowed him to return to Melbourne and secure another Australian Open title.
“I actually love being there, and I think my results are a testament to my sensation of playing tennis and just being in that country,” he said.
Reflecting on the events of 2022, Djokovic shared, “Never met the people that deported me from that country a few years ago. I don’t have a desire to meet with them. If I do one day, that’s fine as well. I’m happy to shake hands and move on.”
