Novak Djokovic: I no be anti-vax but I go sacrifice trophies if dem tell me to get di jab

Novak Djokovic don tok say e go rather miss out on future tennis trophies dan dey forced to get di Covid vaccine.

E Speak exclusively to BBC wia e say make dem no associate am wit di anti-vax movement, but e support one individual right to choose.

Dem ask Djokovic if e fit sacrifice taking part in competitions like Wimbledon and di French Open over im stand on di vaccine.

"Yes, dat na di price I dey willing to pay," e tok.

Australia deport di 20-times Grand Slam winner last month afta di goment cancel im visa straight sake of im vaccine status.

Djokovic, wey be di world number one men tennis player, say e e bin kollect one medical immunity to enta di kontri to play in di Australian Open as e bin recently recover from Covid-19.

However, di kontri immigration minister, Alex Hawke, personally cancel di 34-year-old visa, on di ground say im presence fit cause "civil unrest" and encourage anti-vaccine sentiment.

"I no ever dey against vaccination," e tell di BBC, as e confam say e bin kollect vaccines as pikin, "but I always support di freedom to choose wetin you put for your body."

For di ogbonge interview, di first since dem detain am for Melbourne for January, Djokovic address tok-tok about di timing of im positive Covid case in December and discuss im own attitude towards di vaccine.

Djokovic say e hope say vaccination requirements for certain tournaments fit change, e add say e dey hope say e "fit play for many more years".

But e also confam say, e dey willing to forget di chance to become statistically di greatest tennis player of all time becos e feel so strongly about di mata. Djokovic rival, Rafael Nadal, don win 21 Grand Slam titles di most for any competitor.

Wendem ask am why, e reply say: "Bicos di principles to make decision on my body dey more important dan any title or anytin else. I dey try to dey in tune wit my body as much as I possibly fit do"

Djokovic say e bin "always be one great student of wellness, wellbeing, health, nutrition," and say im decision dey partly influenced by di positive impact of factors like changing im diet and im sleeping patterns, on im ability as athlete.

E say e dey "keep [im] mind open" about di possibility say e fit dey vaccinated for future, "becos we all dey try to find collectively, one best possible solution to end Covid".

"I no ever dey against vaccination. I understand say globally, everyone dey try to put one big effort to handle dis virus and see say, hopefully, e end soon."

Djokovic be one great pesin if yo tink am. Dem raise am inside two wars for di former Yugoslavia, im parents bin sell di family gold and negotiate wit money lenders to fund im ambitions, e sabi speak six languages wella, you fit argue say e be di greatest player ever to pick up di racket; and e be deeply committed libertarian wey get strong belief of individual freedom.

E don clearly tink deep about di conflict between individual freedom and di collective good - and e feel say, as ogbonge sportsman, im body be im business. E say e get open mind, but as tins stand, e no go kollect di jab.

E bin also go into further detail about im time wey e spend for detention for Melbourne last month

"I dey really sad and disappointed wit di way e all end for me for Australia," e say. "E no dey easy."

Dem do im medical exemption request anonymously and two independent Australian panels accept am. However, e get one separate travel declaration wey include one error.

"Absolutely, di visa declaration error no dey deliberate," Djokovic tok. "E dey accepted and confamed by di federal court and di minister imself for di Ministry for Immigration in Australia.

"So actually, wetin pipo probably no know be say I no dey deported from Australia sake of say I no dey vaccinated, or say I break any rules or say I make one error for my visa declaration. All of dat dey actually approved and validated by di Federal Court of Australia and di Minister for Immigration.

"Di reason why I dey deported from Australia be bEcos di minister for immigration use im discretion to cancel my visa based on say I fit create some anti-vax sentiment for di kontri or for di city and I completely disagree wit am." E tok.