Serbian Tennis player, Novak Djokovic has made a significant allegation, stating that he was “poisoned” by lead and mercury in his diet during his brief imprisonment in Melbourne in 2022.
Djokovic’s arrest came before his deportation from Australia owing to his reluctance to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which prevented him from competing in the Australian Open that year.
In a lengthy interview published on Thursday in GQ magazine, the former world number one claimed, “I had some health concerns. And I knew that in that Melbourne hotel, I had been fed poisonous food. I made several findings when I returned to Serbia.
“I never told this to anybody publicly but discovered that I had a high level of heavy metal. I had lead, a very high level of lead and mercury.”
When asked if he thought his food was purposefully tainted, Djokovic said, “That’s the only way.” The Australian Department of Home Affairs has declined to comment on Djokovic’s individual case, citing privacy concerns.
However, the government claims that its lease deal with the Park Hotel, where Djokovic was imprisoned, contained supplies for freshly cooked, personally portioned meals.