Reports indicate that Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving will be cleared for home games this Thursday when New York City’s private sector vaccine mandate will allow an exception for athletes and entertainers.
“Sources: Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving will be cleared for home games as New York City will on Thursday change private sector vaccine mandate to allow exemption for athletes and entertainers in workplace,” NBA reporter Shams Charania announced. “Unvaccinated Yankees and Mets players also now eligible for home games.”
According to Politico, the new policy that will soon be announced by New York Mayor Eric Adams will “reverse the private-sector vaccine mandate specifically for performers and athletes in local venues, including Barclays Center — home to the Brooklyn Nets — and both Citi Field in Queens and Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.” The policy comes as the mayor has slowly been relaxing coronavirus restrictions in the city that were put in place by former Mayor Bill de Blasio and continued under his tenure. On Tuesday, for instance, Adams announced that the city will be reversing its mask mandate for toddlers in daycare centers come April 4.
When asked about Kyrie Irving, Adams, who typically has encouraged the basketball star to just get vaccinated, changed his tone.
“As we stated, the name of the game is that we’re not going to be heavy-handed with the private sector mandate,” he told reporters. “We’re not going to run around the buildings and check vaccine cards.”
“If Kyrie Irving is practicing, I’m not at the sports facility. The attorneys can tell us if he can practice or not, if he’s in violation of that or not,” Adams added. “I’ll speak with my attorney to see if it is or isn’t.”
Former New York City Hall coronavirus senior adviser Jay Varma criticized the rollback, saying the vaccination policy should apply equally to all.
“I think the same rules on vaccination should apply uniformly to all,” Varma told Politico. “If there’s a carveout for this group, why can’t any other group then raise its hand and say, I deserve a carveout too.”
“Basically it sends a message that this is an arbitrary rule — that if you’re rich enough and powerful enough and high profile enough, that you don’t have to play by the same rules as everyone else,” Varma added.
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Brooklyn Nets team was recently fined $50,000 for allowing the unvaccinated Kyrie Irving into the locker room, even though he was allowed to attend the game at Barclay’s Center.
“The Brooklyn Nets organization has been fined $50,000 for violating local New York City law and league health and safety protocols during the team’s March 13th game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center,” the NBA said.
“The violation occurred when the Nets permitted Kyrie Irving, who was in attendance at the game, to enter the team’s locker room,” it added.
Irving refused to get the coronavirus vaccine last year after recovering from the coronavirus (natural immunity). As a result, he was universally condemned by the media and sports establishment, from NBA commissioner Adam Silver to Charles Barkley to Howard Stern.
“In terms of idiots, he’s got to be the top idiot in the country right now,” Stern said. “Guy’s got a chance as a young man to make millions of dollars, all he’s got to do is get vaccinated, but he doesn’t want to get vaccinated.”