John McEnroe wants an investigation over Novak Djokovic’s positive COVID-19 test after research has created doubts over the timing of it.
The BBC reported Friday that it had evidence showing the serial number on the document stating Djokovic’s positive test was obtained from tests used between Dec. 25 and Dec. 28. Djokovic claimed to have tested positive on Dec. 16. Additionally, a German investigation found that a timestamp creating a web page for the online record of Djokovic’s positive may not have been created until Dec. 26.
Djokovic used the positive test, unsuccessfully, to claim he should be given an exemption to Australia’s COVID vaccination mandate for visitors. Though his exemption was granted initially, Djokovic was detained at the border and eventually deported after a long back-and-forth.
John McEnroe (left) is calling for an investigation into Novak Djokovic’s (right) positive COVID test. AFP via Getty ImagesIt didn’t help the matter that he seemingly broke quarantine after testing positive, doing an interview on Dec. 18.
“I’ll give you an example of something I don’t understand,” McEnroe, who is working the Australian Open for Eurosport, said, per The Telegraph. “Novak Djokovic, to me, is an extremely smart person. If he tested positive on — what date is it? — December 15th, I’m throwing out a date — why in the hell would he do an interview with a journalist on December 16th?
“That makes absolutely no sense to me. The guy’s not stupid. He’s smart. So, already, I’m like, ‘What?’
“I mean, he wasn’t just sitting around going, ‘I hope I get COVID so I can get an exemption.’ So that wasn’t happening.”
Djokovic went to Spain, from Serbia, after Christmas. He later flew to Australia via Dubai.
McEnroe said it was unlikely that Serbia would investigate the issue themselves, since Djokovic is such a popular figure in the country.
“I don’t think that you’ll be getting the Serbian authorities to try and figure out a way to make Novak look bad, if that’s what anyone’s thinking,” McEnroe said. “That ain’t happening.”
Djokovic’s representatives, the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, the ITF and the ATP all failed to comment to The Telegraph.
