Novak Djokovic has claimed that he was “poisoned” by lead and mercury in his food while he was briefly held in Melbourne in 2022 before being deported on the eve of the Australian Open.
The former world number one had his visa canceled and was eventually kicked out of the country over his refusal to be vaccinated against Covid.
He was held in a detention hotel as he fought a fruitless legal battle to remain.
“I had some health issues. And I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne I was fed some food that poisoned me,” the 37-year-old Djokovic told GQ magazine in a lengthy interview published 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 was contaminated, the Serb replied: “That’s the only way.”
Djokovic refused to elaborate on Friday in Melbourne when asked if he had any evidence that his high heavy metal blood levels were linked to the food he was given.
But he did not back down from the poisoning allegations.
“The GQ article came out yesterday … I’ve done that interview many months ago,” Djokovic said as he was preparing for a tilt at an 11th Australian Open title and 25th Grand Slam crown.
“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.”
But the government says a lease agreement with the Park Hotel where he was held provides for freshly cooked, individually portioned lunches and dinners for detainees.
