Novak Djokovic has claimed "misinformation" about his COVID-19 infection timeline, but has also apologized for an "error in judgment" after going into an interview while staying positive.
The tennis star told Border Force officials on arrival in Melbourne last week that she was exempted from mandatory vaccination entry rules because she tested positive for the virus on 16 December.
But in the days immediately after that date, questions arose after pictures of Djokovic attending various events and not wearing a mask emerged.
On Wednesday afternoon, he released a lengthy statement on his Instagram page, claiming "misinformation" but also admitting that he deliberately participated in an interview while being infected.
"I would like to address the continuing misinformation regarding my activities and attendance at events in December in the lead up to my positive PCR COVID test result," his statement read.
"This is misinformation that needs to be corrected, particularly in the interest of reducing community-wide concern about my presence in Australia, and to address matters that are very harmful and concerning to my family." .
"I want to emphasize that I have made great efforts to ensure everyone's safety and compliance with testing obligations."
Djokovic said he attended a basketball game in Belgrade on December 14 and returned a negative rapid antigen test two days later.
He underwent an "official and accepted" PCR test on the same day.
The next day, on 17 December, he went to a tennis event to give prizes to the children and said that he returned another negative rapid test before leaving.
"I was asymptomatic and feeling well, and I was not reported to have a positive PCR test until after that incident," he said.
Djokovic said the positive PCR result was returned the next day on December 17 when he was in Belgrade.
He said he still honored a commitment, despite the results the next day.
“I canceled all other events except the L’Equipe interview. I felt it was time to go ahead and hold the L’Equipe interview because I didn’t want to disappoint the journalist,” he said.
The tennis star said that he only took off his mask for photographs.
Well...@lequipe, which named him the Champion of Champions for 2021, now reveals that ND took part in a photo shoot with the trophy in Belgrade on December 18th - two days after he took a test that turned out to be positive.https://t.co/W0HHxHV9En pic.twitter.com/jwMBBguFBP
— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) January 8, 2022
"When I went home to isolate for the required period after the interview, upon reflection, it was an error of judgment and I acknowledge that I should have rescheduled this commitment," he said.
But there are further questions on the timeline in terms of court documents showing that the positive COVID-19 test was recorded on December 16 and not December 17.
Djokovic also commented on the travel announcement, saying it was presented on his behalf by his support team.
Concerns were raised that the world No 1 might have misled Australian Border Force officials by not declaring they were in both Serbia and Spain in the 14 days prior to their arrival in Australia.
"My agent sincerely apologizes for the administrative mistake in ticking the wrong box regarding my previous trip prior to my arrival in Australia," he said.
"It was human error and certainly not intentional".
He said he would not comment further.
Minutes before the statement, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke issued a statement saying that the deadline for his decision on Djokovic had been affected due to further "submissions and supporting documents".
Nowak's mother speaks
It comes after Djokovic's mother claimed that her son "did not know" he was infected with COVID-19 when he was photographed at public events.
Speaking exclusively to Sunrise on Wednesday, Dijana Djokovic said that her son was not aware of his infection when the pictures were taken.
"He didn't know, maybe, he didn't know because when he realized he was positive he went into isolation," she said on Wednesday.
Ms Djokovic said she was struggling to sleep and was "very concerned" that her son could be sent packing ahead of next week's Australian Open.
"I have a feeling it's not over yet and we're all praying that he will stay," she said.
"Don't throw him out, he's a tennis player, he's not a politician, he's not a criminal, he's not a murderer, he's just a tennis player, the best in the world, just let him play.
"He came to play in Australia and win the Australian Open, that's his goal."