Irving cleared to play at home

NEW YORK • Kyrie Irving will be free to play home games for the Brooklyn Nets after New York authorities on Thursday eased Covid-19 vaccine mandate rules for athletes and performers.

New York Mayor Eric Adams said that rules preventing unvaccinated individuals from playing in home games for New York teams would be scrapped.

National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Irving, who is unvaccinated, has not played any home game this year because of the mandate, even though unvaccinated players from visiting teams are allowed to play in New York.

Despite his lack of playing time, the guard is averaging 28.5 points, 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 20 games this season and scored a career-high 60 points against the Orlando Magic earlier this month.

The 30-year-old is now free to play a bigger role in the team's push to make the play-offs, with Mr Adams saying that the decision to relax the rules was "another step in our city's economic recovery" that "levelled the playing field" for New Yorkers.

"By expanding an existing exemption, we are simply making sure the rules apply equally to everyone who is a performer, regardless of where they are from," the 61-year-old said.

"The old exemption put our sports teams at a self-imposed competitive disadvantage and was unfair to New York performers.

"Now, with the city in a low-risk environment, we can keep protecting each other, as we continue to move in the right direction and deliver an equitable and inclusive economic recovery."

The NBA and NBA Players Association (NBPA) welcomed the decision, noting that pro basketball had achieved a 97 per cent vaccination rate and 75 per cent booster rate among players, team staff, league staff and referees.

"We support the mayor's determination that the old rules treating hometown and visiting players differently no longer made sense, particularly because unvaccinated NBA players will continue to test daily," a joint statement read.

"We applaud the mayor for listening to the concerns of our New York teams, players, fans and communities and for levelling the playing field for home teams and their opponents."

While Irving and the Nets are the most high-profile beneficiaries of the decision, the move also removes potential headaches for New York pro baseball teams ahead of the new season, due to start next month.

The Mets and Yankees - outfielder Aaron Judge has been evasive about his vaccination status - both welcomed the decision.

"We appreciate the way the mayor approached this decision with deliberation, understanding, and reliance on the science," Yankees president Randy Levine said.

Judge added: "I kind of told you guys that I wasn't too worried about it."

This leaves San Francisco as the only major American city to continue with its vaccine mandate on athletes playing for its pro sports teams, like the Golden State Warriors. The same rule applies to those travelling to Canada, as it is a cross-border requirement.

But Adams' decision to loosen the vaccine mandate for selected groups has been met with fierce criticism from sanitation workers, policemen and teachers, who are all still subject to the requirement.

"There can't be one system for the elite and another for the essential workers of our city," said Harry Nespoli, president of the Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association and chairman of the Municipal Labour Committee.

"If the mandate isn't necessary for famous people, then it's not necessary for the cops who are protecting our city in the middle of a crime crisis," added Patrick Lynch, president of Police Benevolent Association of New York City.

REUTERS, NYTIMES, XINHUA