You miss 100% of the shots you refuse

Canada to close border to athletes without vaccination

Canada is closing its border to unvaccinated professional and amateur athletes in the new year, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said Friday.

Unvaccinated players in the NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS are currently permitted to cross the border under a COVID-19 national interest exemption.

The mandatory vaccine rules, which come into effect Jan. 15, would affect few if any unvaccinated NBA and NHL players, as the percentage in those leagues is negligible.

The NBA reported before the season tipped off that 95 per cent of its players had been vaccinated, and recently encouraged its players to receive COVID-19 booster shots as soon as possible.

The most notable holdout is Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who wasn’t with the Nets when they played in Toronto on Nov. 7. Brooklyn management has told Irving he’s not permitted to practise or play with the club until he’s vaccinated.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said at the start of the season that the league had just four unvaccinated players.

Friday’s news about athletes was part of a broader border tightening that also affects international students, individuals with work permits, and essential service providers including truck drivers.

“The upcoming changes to Canada’s border testing and entry requirements reflect the next stage in our government’s approach as we align with the improving vaccination rates both here in Canada and around the world,” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said. “The situation at our borders remains closely monitored, with officials and experts continuing their work to evaluate the measures in place and recommend necessary adjustments as required.”

MLB reported last summer that 23 of 30 teams had reached the 85 per cent vaccine threshold.

When unvaccinated CFL players entered the country before the season, they were required to quarantine with regular testing before being cleared to practise. On Oct. 21, the league announced eight of nine teams had met the 85 per cent threshold. The league anticipated that 93 per cent of players would be fully vaccinated by Oct. 31.

Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes are required to be vaccinated to compete in the Beijing Olympics in February.