NBA Bows to Insane COVID Policies, Will Require Players to Be Vaccinated To Play in Toronto

The disgraceful conduct of professional sports leagues continues.

The NBA seemed to be trending in the right direction with regards to COVID policies, announcing that they would not be mandating vaccines for the upcoming season:

But of course, that progress was short lived, as a recent league memo announced that players will have to have completed the "primary series" of COVID vaccinations or receive a medical exemption in order to play games in Toronto.

Teams with players who do not meet the requirement will have to be listed as "Out due to Health and Safety Protocols," and according to The Athletic, will see a reduction in pay for games they miss.

The full memo text indicates the NBA's decision to comply with the Canadian government's mandate banning unvaccinated visitors from entering the country:

“The Canadian government generally requires all individuals entering Canada to have completed the primary course of an accepted vaccine for COVID-19, including any applicable waiting period following the final dose of such course,” the memo read. “Thus, any player who does not meet this requirement and does not have a valid, documented medical contraindication to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine remains unable to enter Canada to play games in Toronto."

This will once again impact league stars like Kyrie Irving, who last season was not only barred from games in Toronto, but also his own home city of Brooklyn.

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 27: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets passes the ball to Landry Shamet #20 against DeAndre' Bembry #95 of the Toronto Raptors in the first half at Amalie Arena on April 27, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

While this isn't a NBA policy, but one imposed on it by the Canadian government, the league wields immense power and influence and has repeatedly spoken out on political issues whenever it deems necessary.

Instead of publicly putting pressure on renowned hypocrite Justin Trudeau to end this nonsensical policy and forced discrimination, the league appears willing to accept some of their players being banned from competing based on quite literally nothing.

There is, of course, no rational case for continuing to ban unvaccinated individuals of any profession from traveling anywhere, given that the vaccines, including booster shots, are conclusively unable to prevent infection or transmission.

But because the league is openly and blatantly supportive of left wing causes and political ideology, it refuses to criticize "leaders" like Trudeau who share its agenda.

And so this offensive policy will continue to be enforced, seemingly indefinitely, to protect political allies from having to acknowledge their own incompetence, hubris, and embarrassing conduct.