While the vast majority of the rest of the country has moved on, New York City is still stuck in 2020.
And one high-profile athlete has finally had enough.
Now Nets star Kyrie Irving is standing up to the NYC Mayor over this out-of-touch policy.
Nets star Kyrie Irving, missed nearly two-thirds of last season due to his refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Now he is ripping New York’s latest vaccine mandate decision.
On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that he’s ending the private employer vaccine mandate but keeping it for city workers.
Irving voiced his anger about it on social media.
If I can work and be unvaccinated, then all of my brothers and sisters who are also unvaccinated should be able to do the same, without being discriminated against, vilified, or fired. ♾🤞🏾
This enforced Vaccine/Pandemic is one the biggest violations of HUMAN RIGHTS in history.
— A11Even (@KyrieIrving) September 20, 2022
Irving tweeted, “If I can work and be unvaccinated, then all of my brothers and sisters who are also unvaccinated should be able to do the same, without being discriminated against, vilified, or fired. This enforced Vaccine/Pandemic is one the biggest violations of HUMAN RIGHTS in history.”
The truth is, this isn’t an oversell on Irving’s part.
New York’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements have been arguably the strictest in the country.
Irving’s continued refusal to comply saw him limited to just 29 games last regular season and only six home tilts at Barclays Center, once the city loosened rules for unvaccinated athletes and entertainers in March.
Irving believes that his stance was about more than missing games and will continue to stand on his belief that the municipal workers should be free to be unvaccinated, as the private sector employees now are.
Mayor Eric Adams said, “Our vaccinated workforce kept the city open and operating, with over 300,000 employees it was crucial to put it in place and we’re keeping it in place. Our vaccinated workers have carried out their jobs and stepped up when the city needed them the most and we think it’s imperative to send the right message and lead by example.”
He added that because 89 percent of New Yorkers, including children, have been vaccinated, the vaccine requirements for New York City schoolchildren to play sports and other higher-risk extracurricular activities are also being dropped.
But when asked about when the municipal mandate would end – which led to over 1,500 city employees being terminated, Adams had no answer.
Irving, donated his own money to help support WNBA players when the league was shut down due to COVID-19.
He also plans to help the municipal workers who lost their jobs.
Sports with Balls will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
