Leaked audio: Australian news anchors call Djokovic a ‘lying, sneaky a**hole’
Maria Wheeler
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Two 7NEWS anchors found themselves in hot water after audio was leaked from their off-air studio discussion calling embattled tennis star Novak Djokovic a ‘lying, sneaky a**hole.’
“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,” said anchor Rebecca Maddern.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic was informed Thursday upon his arrival at a Melbourne airport that he is being denied entry to the country over his medical exemption to the Covid vaccine. After traveling to Australia to defend his title in the Australian Open via last-minute special permission to do so. Djokovic needed special permission due to the country’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
Upon arrival in Melbourne, he was detained over questions about the validity of his vaccine exemption. After a 10-hour detention, officials informed him he was not welcome in Australia because they had found fault with the medical evidence cited in his vaccine exemption. Djokovic appealed the decision and was detained in an immigration facility until a judge ruled in his favor on Monday.
The two news anchors were caught discussing the controversy without any pretense of impartiality.
“Whatever way you look at it, Novak Djokovic is a lying, sneaky a***hole,” Maddern led off.
“Yeah he’s an a***hole. He is an a***hole,” agreed Mike Amor.
“He gave a bulls*** f***ing excuse, didn’t he, fell over his own f***ing lies, which is what happens, right? That’s what happened,” Maddern maintained later in the conversation. “I think he’s gonna get away with it,” she opined.
The two also discussed what role the government’s handling of the situation played into the result.
“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,” mused Maddern.
“No, I don’t think so,” said Amor.
“They f***ed it up. That’s the problem, isn’t it?” said Maddern.
“I don’t think anything was gained by putting him in an immigration hotel,” replied Amor.
The two went on to comment on the unfairness of the situation.
“Yeah, but that poor Czech girl that was f***ing sent home, hunted down and sent home,” Maddern said, referring to Czech tennis player Renata Voracova, whose visa was canceled by the Australian government due to her Covid vaccination status. She flew out of the Melbourne airport Saturday.
Neither Maddern nor Amor has spoken out about the incident, although Djokovic’s fans have slammed their social media in support of the tennis legend.
“Novak is the best ????,” one of his supporters said to Maddern on Instagram.
“Only ashoole is you????????????????love from Serbia,” commented another.
“This isnt even about what country his from. To openly have a conversation like that around so much crew and production what else do you say that we dont know. I would be making a apology as maybe those comments are left for the dressing room,” another advised.
“You both should be sacked!!!” said someone else.
