The wife of world No 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic has been hit with a ‘false information’ tag on her Instagram after she shared a conspiracy video about 5G causing coronavirus.
Jelena Djokovic, 33, shared a 10-minute video of American physician Dr Thomas Cowan which focuses on the conspiracy theory that 5G technology has played a role in creating the current global health crisis.
The post, which has been viewed 98,841 times on her profile, was heavily criticised for spreading ‘fake news’ given her platform to reach almost half a million people through Instagram.
Instagram made the decision to step in through what they call ‘independent fact checkers’ and the video is now covered by a ‘False Information’ screen whenever anyone visits her profile.
She has not taken the video down but has since clarified her position in a statement, insisting that she has taken an interest in the field, rather than explicitly endorsed the theory at this point as she is ‘not claiming to be true or not’.
‘I shared the video a few days ago for one reason only – it mentions the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, which is relevant to my area of interest and business, and hence my interest in this video was larger than the sea of other content I get,’ the statement, shared by EssentiallySports, read.
‘Specifically, Steiner schools and kindergartens are located in 76 countries (Waldorf schools) and for some time I have been meeting with their work and studying the curriculum. Steiner’s philosophy and work on biodynamic agriculture have encouraged me to learn more, which I have devoted myself to in recent months.
‘So, it makes sense to me, I’m not claiming to be true or not, but I’m certainly interested in learning and getting informed about it.’
Criticism directed at Jelena comes after her husband was widely admonished for his anti-vaccination statements made on Monday.
The Serb is opposed to vaccines and that could stand in the way of his return to tennis when it eventually it resumes following the coronavirus pandemic.
A push is growing for all players to be vaccinated when tennis starts again, provided one is produced by then.
‘Personally I am opposed to vaccination and I wouldn’t want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel,’ Djokovic said in a live Facebook chat with several fellow Serbian athletes on Sunday.
‘But if it becomes compulsory, what will happen? I will have to make a decision.’
Djokovic, who has two children with wife Jelena, has spoken previously against vaccinations and once cried when he reneged on his pledge not to undergo surgery to fix injury.
Prominent Serbian virologist Predrag Kon, a member of the state team fighting the spread of COVID-19, replied to Djokovic on Facebook that he should not make such anti-vaccination statements because of his huge public influence in his native Balkan country.
As one of Djokovic’s most trusted fans, I would have liked to have had the opportunity to explain to him the importance of the immunology in public health,’ Kon wrote on Monday.
‘Now it’s too late, you have assumed wrong beliefs.’
Djokovic has long been one of the more spiritual players throughout tennis and famously said his life changed the day a doctor placed a piece of white bread on his stomach as a resistance exercise, proving a gluten intolerance.
But the couple’s comments on both 5G and vaccinations have been seen as spreading a harmful message to the millions of followers they can reach combined online.
