NEW YORK, New York (LifeSiteNews) – The Brooklyn Nets have been fined $50,000 for allowing Kyrie Irving to enter a locker room without vaccination papers.
Irving, who has chosen not to take the COVID jabs, is allowed to watch the games in the stands but not play in games.
The NBA announced on March 14 that the Nets have “been fined $50,000 for violating local New York City law and league health and safety protocols during the team’s March 13th game.”
“The violation occurred when the Nets permitted Kyrie Irving, who was in attendance at the game, to enter the team’s locker room,” the NBA stated.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently changed the city’s vaccine passport system to allow people to enter businesses without proof of vaccination, but workers must continue to get jabbed and show proof if they want to earn a living. Because Irving works for a New York team, he must be jabbed to play in the city.
Players from teams outside of New York City who have not taken the abortion-tainted jabs are allowed to play games in New York City, though.
The policy has drawn support from people who support coerced vaccination and criticism from those who think Irving should be allowed to play and that the rules do not make sense.
“Kyrie Irving is not above New York City’s Vaccine Mandate,” Chris Mannix wrote in Sports Illustrated on March 14.
Mannix acknowledged the situation is “goofy” and “awkward” but said criticism should ultimately be leveled at Irving, not Mayor Adams.
“It has been well over a year since the COVID-19 vaccines have been introduced to the public. They aren’t dangerous,” Mannix claimed. “Hundreds of millions of doses have been administered. Evidence of serious side effects is largely anecdotal. Irving, as Adams said, can get back on the court whenever he wants. For whatever reason, Irving has chosen not to do so.”
Irving’s decision follows the advice of Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisor Dr. Doran Fink, however. For the professional athlete, who turns 30 this month, receiving COVID shots would be more dangerous than contracting the virus itself.
Dr. Fink said at a September 2021 vaccine safety committee meeting that men under 40 are at greater risk of hospitalization from COVID shots than the virus itself, particularly due to myocarditis and other heart problems.
‘Stupid rule,’ ESPN commentator says
One famed sports commentator isn’t buying into Mayor Adams’ argument that he cannot change the rules just for Kyrie Irving.
“Nobody’s asking you to make an exception for Kyrie Irving. We’re asking you to eradicate the rule because it’s a stupid rule, that’s why. There’s no debating this,” Smith said during a recent episode of his show First Take.
“So if Kyrie Irving had been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers…he could play [in New York City],” Smith said. “It’s a stupid rule, plain and simple.”
Irving’s teammate Kevin Durant took his side, too.
“I don’t understand it at all. There’s a few people in our arena that’s unvaxxed, right? They lifted all of that in our arena, right?” he said after the March 13 game. “So I don’t get it … I don’t get it. It just feels like at this point now, somebody’s trying to make a statement or a point to flex their authority,” he said, in reference to Mayor Adams.
“But everybody out here is looking for attention and that’s what I feel like the mayor wants right now, is some attention. But he’ll figure it out soon,” Durant said. “He better.”
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