Paul Rouget, Media365: published on Tuesday January 18, 2022 at 09:25
Novak Djokovic‘s equipment supplier, Lacoste wants to “take stock” with the world number one “as soon as possible” after his expulsion from Australia.
He’s back home! While he should have defended his title in Melbourne, where he was aiming for a record 21st Grand Slam coronation, Novak Djokovic, not vaccinated against Covid-19 and who thought he would benefit from an exemption, saw his visa canceled for the second time on Sunday after an eleven-day soap opera, and was forced to leave Australia in the process. Arrived in Belgrade on Monday, the Serb was welcomed as a hero by his compatriots. But if this case has only increased his popularity in his country, it could nevertheless cost him dearly. If he wants to participate in Australian Open> Pietrangeli: "If Djokovic plays, the other players should strike and leave him alone on the court against his anti-vax colleagues"”>Roland-Garros, he will thus be obliged to be vaccinated, after the adoption of the vaccine pass on Sunday by Parliament. And he could also lose his main sponsor.
A contract worth 9 million dollars…
A contract with Lacoste valued at 9 million dollars per year (about 7.9 million euros) for the one who earned 30 million dollars in 2021 (26.3 million euros), according to the American magazine Forbes . “The Australian authorities have canceled Novak Djokovic’s visa. As a result, it will not be possible for him to participate in the Australian Open, first recalled the French brand in a press release. As soon as possible, we will exchange with Novak Djokovic to take stock of the events that accompanied his presence on Australian territory..” Its image as a symbol of antivax could thus harm it. But if the Austrian bank Raiffeisen announced “to follow the current situation”, Hublot, another of its sponsors, “will continue its partnership with the world number one in tennis” , said the Swiss watchmaker, reports The Telegraph. “Novak Djokovic is his own person. We cannot comment on any of his personal decisions.” It remains to be seen how his other sponsors will react, such as Peugeot, Head, or Asics, who have not yet spoken on this thorny subject.
