Alex de Minaur has issued a statement after media reports surfaced suggesting that he is being investigated by Spanish authorities over the use of fake COVID-19 documentation.
On Thursday a TV report by Telemadrid claimed that the tennis star is among a series of high-profile people who could be involved in a fake COVID-19 passport scam. It is understood that authorities are looking into an organization which has provided false PCR and COVID passes to individuals so they can travel internationally. The investigation started last month when police arrested seven people for selling passports across the European Union and are accused of falsely registering an estimated 1,600 people on Spain’s national vaccination index.
De Minaur issued a statement shortly after the AFP news agency quoted ‘Spanish police sources’ claiming that he had been involved in the scheme. However, he has emphatically denied any involvement and stated that he is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The accusation was that he brought one of these certificates in order to bypass vaccinations.
“Hi everyone. I wanted to write a quick message here to avoid any misunderstanding regarding a report that is in the Spanish media about my vaccination certificate,” de Minaur wrote on Twitter.
“I received my first dose of the vaccine in London last summer, and the second one at the Hospital La Paz in Madrid.
“News came out today that the hospital is under investigation for providing falsified covid certificates to some of its patients.
“I want to make it 100% clear that I received my second shot, that I have a completely valid, accurate and true vaccination record.
“Everyone around me, including my family, is fully vaccinated.
“I am not ‘under investigation’ in any way as is being suggested and my name is connected to this story simply because I was a patient at the hospital (as many thousands of others were).”
The 23-year-old represents Australia but is based in Spain during the European season. His father, Anibal, is Uruguayan and his mother, Esther, is a Spaniard but the tennis star was born in Sydney.
It is not the first time tennis has been brought up concerning the possible use of fake passports. Earlier this year the Hungarian Tennis Federation confirmed that they have launched an investigation into claims that some of their players and coaches have received such documentation. Former player Katalin Marosi, who was a national team coordinator, has since been fired from her role over her involvement.
According to the ATP Rules, any player found to be using fake COVID-19 documents to attend tournaments face a fine of up to $100,000 and a ban which could last as long as three years.
