Vaccination requirement in New York falls: Unvaccinated basketball player Irving is allowed to play home games again

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Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving is about to make his home game comeback

Photo: IMAGO/Andrea Vilchez/SPP / IMAGO/Sports Press Photo

A long dry spell for the Brooklyn Nets and their star player Kyrie Irving could come to an end today.

US media such as The Athletic and ESPN independently reported that New York Mayor Eric Adams plans to lift restrictions on athletes and artists who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19.

That would mean Kyrie Irving, point guard and central player for the Nets, could play his first home game of the season for his team.

Irving, who had refused vaccination until the very end, was suspended for home games and has only played in 20 of 73 games this season.

The new ordinance could also allow the unvaccinated ranks of the New York Yankees and New York Mets to attend home for the postponed Major League Baseball (MLB) opener in April.

The new regulation, according to which proof of vaccination should no longer be necessary, should come into force immediately and will only apply to athletes and artists.

City employees and employees of private companies will still be allowed to come to work only with proof of vaccination.

Adam's predecessor Bill de Blasio had issued the strict rules in view of the enormously high number of corona cases in New York.

Some greats from the NBA had previously criticized the regulation with regard to the isolated and tested professional athletes.

Irving's teammate, Kevin Durant, said Adams was just "looking for attention."

LA Lakers star player LeBron James wrote to his 50 million followers on Twitter that the rule made "absolutely zero sense".

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also criticized the regulation in an ESPN interview because it does not affect the unvaccinated players on the opposing team and is therefore "not really useful".

Most recently, Brooklyn was fined $50,000 for being in the dressing room at the home game against the New York Knicks.

As a spectator, he was allowed to sit in the front row, but not play.

Causa Irving had always caused a tumult

New York Mayor Adams had repeatedly been confronted publicly with the Irving case.

To a man who had interrupted the Democrat with a shout out to Irving during a public speech, he replied tersely, "Kyrie can play again tomorrow.

Get vaccinated.«

The nerves of fans and those responsible were blank because Irving is one of the best players in the NBA.

Without their star, however, the title favorites have problems even qualifying for the playoffs and are currently only eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Irving's home game return would be the support the Nets need right now.

The 30-year-old has a good seasonal average of 27.7 points.

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