Sport3 min(s) read
Published 11:45 12 Jan 2022 GMT
Two Melbourne newsreaders have been caught slamming tennis pro Novak Djokovic as an "a**hole" off-air, in a shocking leaked video.
Channel 7 anchors Mike Amor and Rebecca Maddern can be heard calling the Serbian player out as a liar and a sneak, in a clip the network has since claimed is an "illegal recording".
Djokovic has been at the center of a media storm since last week when he was denied entry at Melbourne airport and sent to an infamous immigration detention hotel.
Border officials claimed the world No 1. did not satisfy visa requirements due to being unvaccinated and having insufficient proof of medical exemption.
A judge overturned their decision on Monday, ruling that the 34-year-old's proof of covid infection was sufficient exemption and that his visa should not have been rescinded. The star was given the green light to enter Australia and compete in the upcoming Australian Open, where he is the defending champion.
However, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke is still considering whether to use his discretionary powers to re-cancel Djokovic's visa, after fresh doubts have arisen over an error on his application, and reports have emerged that he did not isolate properly when infected.
Amor and Maddern made their frank feelings on the situation known while preparing to read the 6 PM news on Tuesday night.
In a video leaked on social media, Maddern can be heard saying: "Whatever way you look at it, Novak Djokovic is a lying, sneaky, a***hole"
"It’s unfortunate that everybody else stuffed up around him. To go out when you know you’re Covid-positive - well, I don’t think he was even Covid-positive …"
Amor agreed that the tennis star was an "a**hole", adding "You’ve got a bulls**t f***ing excuse and then he fell over his own f***ing lies, which is what happens right? That’s what’s happened."
The pair continued chatting, saying that they thought Djokovic was "going to get away with it".
"I think most fair-minded people would say, ‘The bloke’s an a***hole’. Did they do the right thing by him? I don’t know. They f***ed it up. That’s the problem, isn’t it," Amor added.
Yahoo Sport Australia reports that Channel 7's Director of News and Public Affairs Craig McPherson responded to the clip on Wednesday morning, saying:
"The illegal recording was of a private conversation between two colleagues. It was an underhanded, cowardly act in breach of the Victorian Listening Devices legislation the perpetrator of which will be accordingly dealt with when found."
Meanwhile, Djokovic has since released a statement in which he attempts to clear up "misinformation" around himself.
The star claims that he did not know he had Covid when he attended a tennis event with children on December 17, but that he was aware he had tested positive when he gave a face-to-face interview with a French newspaper on December 18 - a decision he says he now regrets.
Djokovic also explained that the error on his visa application - where he falsely claimed he had not traveled prior to arriving in Australia - was a "human error" on the part of his agent and that his team had since supplied new information to the government.
Immigration Minister Hawke is still deliberating over whether the star will be allowed to stay and compete in the world-famous tournament, which is due to start on Monday.
