Djokovic claims he was 'poisoned' before 2022 Australian Open deportation

Paris: Novak Djokovic claimed Thursday that he was poisoned by lead and mercury in his food during his troubled and brief stay in Melbourne in 2022...

Paris: Novak Djokovic claimed Thursday that he was "poisoned" by lead and mercury in his food during his troubled and brief stay in Melbourne in 2022 before he was deported on the eve of the Australian Open.

The former world number one had his visa cancelled 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 realised 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.

"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."