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(LifeSiteNews) – The union that represents National Basketball Association (NBA) players has reportedly struck a deal to exempt players from a coronavirus vaccine mandate.

“NBA players will not be mandated to get vaccinated against COVID-19,” ESPN reported on Tuesday. “The NBA and [National Basketball Players Association] continue to negotiate aspects of COVID-related protocols and procedures for the upcoming 2021-22 campaign, but the NBPA has refused to budge on its demand that players not be required to take the vaccine, sources say, and any proposal that mandates vaccination remains a ‘non-starter.’”

The NBPA has not confirmed the policy to any media outlets yet and there are no statements about it on the union’s Twitter account.

However, NBA coaches, referees, and most staff members are required to receive the injections.

While the league has said that somewhere between 85 to 90 percent of players have taken the gene-therapy “vaccine” injections, some players have have remained silent about the issue or shared why they personally chose not to get jabbed.

Golden State Warriors’ players Andrew Wiggins and Kent Bazemore have both said they did not plan to take the coronavirus shots.

“I do everything I can to strengthen my immune system, with hours upon hours of cooking, preparing my meals at home, really being conscious of what I put in my body and taking care of my health,” Bazemore said in March.

He also said his family has a history of heart disease, which has motivated him to stay healthy.

“My family has a history of heart disease and all these different things, and I’m trying to turn that around for my lineage,” Bazemore said. “So, I’m taking it upon myself to do everything I can to keep my immune system strong and live a healthy and long life.”

“To each his own really, whoever wants to get it, get it,” Wiggins said at a March press conference. “Right now, I’m not getting it…I make my own decisions.”

In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added warnings of heart inflammation risks to fact sheets for COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

While players will not be required to get vaccinated, they will have to sit out games if they play for three teams, including the Golden State Warriors, due to city “vaccine passport” requirements.

“A memo sent [September 1] to NBA teams warned that unvaccinated players for the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors would not be able to play in home games this season at their respective arenas,” the Washington Post reported.

However, the prohibition would not apply to visiting players at those stadiums. This means that Warriors players could play in games at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, but not at their home arena in San Francisco. Knicks or Nets players who have not gotten jabbed could play in San Francisco, but not at their home arena.

NBA arenas have previously required “health passes” in order to enter the game.

“As spectators flocked to Orlando’s Amway Center last Wednesday evening for the NBA game, they were required to download a ‘Health Pass’ app upon arriving at the doors,” LifeSiteNews reported in February. “The app tracks information about the user’s test history for COVID-19, as well as their vaccination status, to prove a clean bill of health before being allowed to take their seats.”

The Orlando Magic described the passport as “a free mobile solution that allows you to complete a COVID symptom and exposure survey before arriving at the game. The survey must be taken no more than 12 hours prior to game time.”

On September 16, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s ban on “vaccine passports” went into effect.

Prior to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “vaccine passport” implementation, the Brooklyn Nets required fans to fill out a health survey and submit a negative COVID-19 test, according to ABC 7 NY.

Last week President Joe Biden announced that the federal government will seek to impose coronavirus vaccine requirements for all U.S. businesses with more than 100 employees.

LifeSiteNews has produced an extensive COVID-19 vaccines resources page. View it here.