Kevin Pietersen demands Australia APOLOGISE to Novak Djokovic as AstraZeneca Covid jab is withdrawn globally: ‘He went through HELL’

Kevin Pietersen believes Novak Djokovic is owed an apology from the Australian government following a major development surrounding the AstraZeneca Covid jab.

The British-Swedish producer of the vaccine on Tuesday withdrew global distribution of the jab after admitting it could cause potentially fatal side effects.

AstraZeneca admitted last week that its vaccine, sold as Vaxzevria, can cause fatal blood clots and low platelet counts.

A top Australian professor has since insisted that avoiding that particular jab caused more deaths than it saved, but former England cricket star Pietersen has turned to X – formerly known as Twitter – to bask in the latest development.

Pietersen, who sparked controversy last month after attacking London Mayor Sadiq Khan by removing an expensive watch and his wedding ring before heading to the British capital, said Australia owed tennis superstar Djokovic an apology.

The tennis superstar was deported from the country in January 2022 due to vaccination rules

Djokovic was forced to leave Australia just days before he was due to take the court as defending Australian Open champion in January 2022 because he entered the country unvaccinated during pandemic border restrictions.

“It’s time for everyone (who has criticized) and the Australian government to apologize to Novak Djokovic now,” Pietersen tweeted on Wednesday.

“I guess that would be appropriate since he went through HELL! Looks like he was on to something…

Reflecting on that turbulent episode, Djokovic told CBS last December: “I was basically declared a bad guy of the world.”

The saga began when Djokovic was granted an exemption from strict vaccination rules by two medical panels and Tennis Australia to play at the Australian Open. That exemption, based on evidence that he recently recovered from COVID-19, apparently allowed him to obtain a visa to enter Australia. But upon arrival, border officials said the exemption was not valid and decided to deport him.

The ensuing back-and-forth raised questions about whether Djokovic was unfairly given special treatment or unfairly singled out for his celebrity status, and saw many complain that the drawn-out battle at the very least made Australia look bad.

Djokovic has since opened up about his ordeal. He has since returned to Australia and competed

A court initially ruled on procedural grounds that Djokovic could stay, but then Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who has broad powers, decided to deport him. In addition to not being vaccinated against the coronavirus, Djokovic is an outspoken vaccine skeptic, and the government said his presence could fuel anti-vaccine sentiments.

Three judges of the Federal Court unanimously upheld the decision of the immigration minister.

Djokovic admitted that while he was often not a crowd favorite, what happened to him in Australia was another level of antagonism.

“I had that kind of experience on the tennis court, with crowds of people that might not be cheering me on, but I’ve never had this particular experience before in my life,” he said.

Djokovic was asked by interviewer Jon Wertheim if he had “misinterpreted” the mood of the Australian public, who had “very strong opinions about vaccination” and did not like the “exceptionalism” of the perceived Serbian star.

“It wasn’t up to me to read anyone,” Djokovic said.

“I was cleared to enter the country and so of course it escalated to the highest of the highest levels worldwide.”

Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Djokovic had not adhered to “the rules” that to enter Australia “you must either be vaccinated or have a valid medical exemption and show proof of that”.

However, in his lawsuit, Mr Hawke did not dispute that Djokovic’s medical exemption was valid, but based his argument on the possibility that he “could pose a health risk” by promoting “anti-vaccination sentiment”.

Djokovic flatly rejected the label of being ‘anti-vax’.

‘I’m not anti-vax. No, I am pro pro vax,” he told Wertheim, explaining that he believed it was up to the individual.

“I am for the freedom to choose,” Djokovic said.