Google News Srdjan Djokovic accused Australian authorities of holding Novak Djokovic 'captive'
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 7196
Novak Djokovic's father Srdjan accused the Australian authorities of holding his son "captive." Djokovic hasn't left the Melbourne Airport since landing on January 5 and he was reportedly inside a room without members of his accompanying entourage and without a mobile phone.
Per Sport Klub's Sasa Ozmo, Djokovic's mobile has been returned in the meantime. "I have no idea what is going on," Djokovic's father, Srdjan, told Serbian media. "They have been holding my son captive for five hours. "If they don't let him go in half an hour, we will gather on the street.
"This is a fight for everyone."
Australian politicians want answers from Djokovic
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison urged Djokovic to show "acceptable proof that he cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons." “If that evidence is insufficient, then he won’t be treated any different to anyone else and he’ll be on the next plane home," Morrison said.
"There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic at all. None whatsoever”. Meanwhile, acting Victorian Sports Minister Jaala Pulford made it clear to Djokovic the Victorian government wants to know why he was granted a medical exemption.
"It's the government's expectation that when he does arrive, he explains to the Victorian community what the circumstances (are of his exemption) and can then explain some of these motives behind his actions and his intentions in playing here in Australia," Pulford said.
On the other side, Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said Djokovic wasn't a subject to a special treatment. “If they didn’t meet the guidelines, and there were many that didn’t so therefore they were rejected, but if they met the guidelines including for example – which a lot of people forget – is one of those conditions is having COVID recently, in the past six months,” Tiley said on Nine on Wednesday morning.
“Any person who met those conditions has been allowed to come in. There’s been no special favour. There’s been no special opportunity granted to Novak”.
