NRL won't mandate vaccine despite AFL's call

3 years ago 337

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has confirmed it's not the NRL's "approach arsenic a governing assemblage to mandate" a COVID-19 vaccination argumentation for the competition.

Abdo's stance comes aft the AFL contiguous confirmed it would enforce a vaccination policy for AFL and AFLW players, arsenic good arsenic nine staff.

The AFL became the archetypal top-level athletics successful Australia to present a vaccine mandate.

While the Canterbury Bulldogs precocious made headlines by informing players of the club's anticipation for them to get vaccinated, Abdo said the NRL isn't looking into making that a request for the competition.

But aft Victoria precocious announced that each nonrecreational athletes indispensable beryllium vaccinated to proceed playing successful the state, which would impact the Melbourne Storm and immoderate clubs they host, the NRL CEO admitted wellness orders whitethorn overrule the competition.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo (Getty)

"Clearly we request to marque definite we person continuity to the competition, and we are creating a harmless moving environment," Abdo told Channel 7.

"We are engaged moving connected the protocols for the players who are vaccinated and the players that are not vaccinated. Hopefully, we are talking astir a precise tiny radical of players (not vaccinated).

"They volition have, I'd imagine, immoderate beauteous rigorous requirements astir what they volition beryllium capable to bash successful bid to bid and play.

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"Of people this mightiness beryllium taken retired of our hands by wellness orders oregon by airlines, truthful determination volition beryllium repercussions for those that don't take to beryllium vaccinated but it's not our attack arsenic a governing assemblage to mandate it.

"Between present and the extremity of the off-season we volition person a precise wide acceptable of guidelines for however the clubs and players tin get backmost to grooming safely for those who are vaccinated and those who aren't yet vaccinated."

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