NBA star LeBron James has finally confirmed he received his Covid vaccine after ‘doing his research’. But why should we care what he thinks, and do we really need to take our cue from him and other sports stars as vaccine sages?
The man has at long last spoken.
After being hounded by reporters since the spring, and refusing to come out explicitly to say whether he had or hadn’t, we can all sleep easy now knowing that LeBron James has indeed had his jabs to protect him against Covid with the new season fast approaching.
“I know that I was very (skeptical) about it all but after doing my research. I felt like it was best suited for not only me but for my family and my friends,” James said at a media day on Tuesday.
LeBron James explains his decision to get vaccinated, but wanting to respect others for whether they decide to get it pic.twitter.com/khPH3NePAX
First of all, let’s cut James some slack for a change.
A divisive character who seemingly has an opinion on everything, James has promoted freedom of choice in a league where vaccination rates stand at 90% but getting jabbed technically isn’t mandatory (even though restrictions are tightening against the unvaccinated).
“Everyone has their own choice — to do what they feel is right for themselves and their family and things of that nature,” James said.
“We’re talking about individuals’ bodies.
“We’re not talking about something that’s, you know, political or racism or police brutality.
“So I don’t feel like, for me personally, I should get involved in what other people should do with their bodies and their livelihoods.”
Quite right.
I’m glad he is vaccinated. That will have a good impact, hopefully. But did his own research?? Really? He’s better at research than the CDC? ♀️
As preachy as he can get (and sometimes, ironically, he even seems to incite racial hatred rather than quell it), we can look to James to teach us about the black experience and what it is like to grow up as an African-American in the inner-city US.
But must we turn to him as an authority on a subject like Covid and taking the vaccine? What does James have to add to the argument on such an important issue?
Have we learned nothing from the adoration of Bill Gates, who was seen as the all-knowing sage and whose words were imbued with all kinds of preposterous authority at the onset of the pandemic?
Even LeBron himself pretty much admits that people should make their own minds up and that he is out of his depth.
Why was he hounded to such an extent, as though his word would be make or break, and why are sports stars in general?
Hey get the vaccine now! LeBron James announced today he did his research and decided to get one. I know a lot of you didn’t ask your Doctor 8 months ago you were waiting for a basketball player to do his “research” #WTF@DrsMeenapic.twitter.com/JoVrVoKPTB
Furthermore, what possible research could LeBron have done himself which shifts people one way or another?
“Hey get the vaccine now!” as one punter on Twitter sarcastically pointed out.
“LeBron James announced today [that] he did his research and decided to get one. I know a lot of you didn’t ask your doctor eight months ago, you were waiting for a basketball player to do his ‘research’.”
I like Lebron James. But “after doing my research”—come on. Did he fund a private study? Maybe he & Nikki had matching lab coats? Damn this celeb trend of not listening to the damn experts *LIKE THE CDC* in the first place. https://t.co/RNdnDyhKJa
— ndweiss, Brokedown Palace, Diabolical Jezebel (@11tulips) September 29, 2021
The same logic could be applied to the two biggest stars in the world’s biggest sport, football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Certain corners are clamoring for them to say something, to make a post to their hundreds of millions of followers on social media with their thumbs up and vaccine card in hand, accompanied by a carefully PR team-written caption.
Why should they push an agenda one way or the other?
In football’s English Premier League, the authorities are apparently going to great pains (and unsurprisingly struggling) to get big names to sign up to campaigns that encourage fellow professionals to get their jabs done.
If like LeBron they are in favor of freedom of choice, just let them be.
Leave them to do what they do best.
And, again as with James, leave us to make our own choices and judge which genuine, qualified experts we should listen to.
If anyone, it is the latter party’s words that should take preference. Not those from moneyed stars of courts and pitches.
By Tom Sanderson
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
UFC flyweight Maryna Moroz has denied that she pulled out of a fourth scheduled fight in a row, with the Ukrainian declaring that she is “healthy” despite the news that she won’t be competing as planned on October 16.
Moroz was due to end her 19-month absence from the Octagon against Luana Carolina at UFC Vegas 40, but according to MMA Fighting the Brazilian will now face America’s Sijara Eubanks instead.
For Moroz, 30, it will be a fourth canceled bout since she last competed in March 2020, when the star earned a unanimous decision victory against Mayra Bueno Silva to improve her record to 10-3 overall.
In the ensuing period much of Moroz’s publicity has come through her personal OnlyFans-style website where she shares exclusive content with subscribers, as well as a public spat with fellow UFC star Mariya Agapova over claims of the Kazakh fighter’s wild behavior.
But in an attempt to clarify the latest failure in her efforts to get back to the cage, Moroz issued an Instagram message in which she said she was not to blame for the collapse in her bout with Carolina.
“I am healthy and continue to prepare for the fight. I don’t care who my [opponent] will be. I just want to fight,” said the Miami-based fighter, sharing a clip of herself training at the fabled American Top Team gym.
One unhappy fan took Moroz to task, replying: “Then why did you pull out of the second fight in a row? Something don’t make sense here…”
That touched a nerve with the Ukrainian however, who shot back: “Are you stupid I did not refuse, I am healthy and continue to train.”
“I’m not stupid. I’m a huge fan and want to see you fight. If you’re healthy, why not fight?” responded the fan.
Another chimed in: “You’ve pulled out of 4 fights in a row. Stop getting rude to people in your [Instagram] comments, this is why you’ve got no fans. You want some?”
“At what point do you cut Maryna Moroz due to her pulling out of so many fights?” argued one fan.
“Moroz hasn’t done anything memorable since her first UFC fight against Jojo [Calderwood]. She’s basically an Instagram ‘model’ now,” scorned another person.
Elsewhere, though, there were messages of support for a fighter who has had her hand raised in five of her eight outings in the UFC Octagon since making her debut with the promotion in April of 2015.
“I sympathize. You will prove yourself, we’re waiting for a new date!” read one message.
Moroz is not the only casualty of UFC Vegas 40, set to take place at the promotion’s Apex facility in Las Vegas.
Recently-returned superstar Miesha Tate was forced out of her headliner with Ketlen Vieira after contracting Covid, and the bill will instead be topped by a showdown between Holly Holm and Norma Dumont.
The first trainer of Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk has said he expects the world heavyweight champion to return to his Crimean roots and visit a local gym to serve as an inspiration for the youngsters there.
Usyk stunned the world in London on Saturday night as he comprehensively outboxed home favorite Anthony Joshua to become the new WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO world heavyweight champion.
The Ukrainian, 34, became just the third man in history to win world titles at cruiserweight and then heavyweight, having earlier been the undisputed ruler of the 200 lbs ranks.
Usyk has since returned home to Kiev, but there are hopes that the Simferopol-born fighter will head back to Crimea in the near future to see aspiring young sports stars in the region.
“We expect that he’ll come. Within three weeks, not earlier, he’ll come to the gym and visit, I hope,” the star’s first boxing trainer, Sergey Lapin, told TASS.
“He still has his sister and mother-in-law [in Crimea], there is someone to come to visit,” Lapin added.
While Usyk proudly flies the flag for Ukraine in boxing rings around the world, the Olympic gold medalist has not always been showered with full adulation in return.
In particular, some have claimed Usyk has not done enough to bang the anti-Russian drum regarding the return of Crimea to Russia in a landslide referendum in 2014.
Usyk has consistently been asked whether he considers Crimea to be Ukrainian or Russian, but on different occasions has said it is “God’s” or simply replying “Crimea is Crimea”.
The boxer has likewise angered some in Ukraine by appearing in religious videos for a branch of the Orthodox church linked to the Moscow Patriarchate.
Lapin, however, hopes that Usyk will still visit the gym where around 160 young boxers train, and where his picture adorns the walls.
“While the guys are at such an age that they are on their way to becoming fully-formed, everything is ahead… We will make champions, and Sasha will come, by personal example he will inspire the guys to exploits,” said Lapin.
Usyk himself suggested after his victory over Joshua that he would take his titles to Crimea to celebrate.
“Of course [I will go to Crimea],”said Usyk, who continues to use Russian as his first language.
“I want to see my coach, my sister.
“To go to my beloved gym, to say thank you to the coach for bringing me to a high level.
“He taught me how to box, defend, think. He made a boy out of a man.”
Usyk’s unanimous decision victory over Joshua improved his unblemished professional record to 19 wins from 19 fights.
Joshua is set to activate the rematch clause in his contract to face the Ukrainian again next year, although many believe the result will be little different from Usyk’s masterclass in London.
A Ukrainian Hockey League player has been hit with a seemingly soft ban after being sent off for racially abusing a black player by making the gesture of peeling an imaginary banana and eating it in a game at the weekend.
Cameras caught Kremenchuk forward Andrei Deniskin making the taunt towards Donbass Donetsk’s new signing Jalen Smereck, who hails from the United States, in the 36th minute of their league clash.
Understandably, the 23-year-old was immediately sent off for the act but he did attempt to cover his tracks post-game by insisting he does not discriminate against people of different backgrounds.
“During the match, I, being of negative emotions, displayed a gesture that could be considered as an insult [relating to] race,” Deniskin said while offering a public apology to Smereck.
“I respect all people regardless of their race or nationality. Emotions in hockey, unfortunately, are different.”
A disgusting gesture in the UHL was made towards American Jalen Smereck… This is embarrassing and pathetic for hockey. @IIHFHockey needs to step up here. pic.twitter.com/cSqxBKVC4k
In their own statement, Donbass condemned “all forms of discrimination” and claimed to be “outraged by the behavior” of Deniskin.
The league had threatened that there could be extra sanctions against the youngster, while Smereck refused to play until Deniskin has been suspended or banned, and has today lived up to its word in a fashion.
Following Deniskin’s ill-advised moment of madness, the league’s disciplinary committee has decided to apply a mandatory three-game ban for the Ukraine international.
However, Deniskin can pay off a further 10-game suspension at a rate of 5,000 hryvnia ($188) per game (to a total of $1,880), in a move that is likely to infuriate those who called for much heavier penalties.
Popular Twitter account the World Hockey Report said that “an appropriate response would be a five-year ban from hockey, plus 500 hours of community service which must be done as a league volunteer. Either that or lifetime ban.”
Would say an appropriate response would be a five year ban from hockey, plus 500 hours of community service which must be done as a league volunteer. Either that or lifetime ban. Would be nice to see @uhlua and @IIHFHockey make a real statement that this will not be tolerated.
They added that it “would be nice to see” the UHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation, “make a real statement that this will not be tolerated”.
The former party has apparently failed to do that, with the latter yet to deal with Deniskin.
Until then, however, Donbass are expected to appeal the unsatisfactory ruling.
The NBA has declared that unvaccinated players won’t be paid if they miss matches due to executive orders in place in New York and San Francisco. The ruling could hit stars such as Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins especially hard.
NBA executive vice president of communications Mike Bass confirmed on Wednesday that “any player who elects not to comply with local vaccination mandates will not be paid for games that he misses.”
The statement comes after executive orders were passed in New York and San Francisco which affect local teams the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors respectively.
The NBA just announced it will withhold pay for all unvaccinated players who miss games due to local mandates. Will be very interesting to see what the union has to say about this.
At the Nets’ Barclays Center home, one Covid-19 shot is required to enter; anyone hoping to attend games in the Chase Center in San Francisco – where the Warriors play home games – will have to be fully vaccinated ahead of the new season.
New York’s other NBA team the Knicks are not believed to be affected after saying their entire organization had been fully vaccinated in accordance with local law.
However, Nets star Irving is one person almost certain to be affected, and has been among the most-talked about stars in sport not to get the vaccine.
Irving was absent from the team’s media day in New York earlier this week, and according to recent reports in Rolling Stone, Irving has started following and ‘liking’ conspiracy-themed Instagram posts “which claim that ‘secret societies’ are implanting vaccines in a plot to connect black people to a master computer for ‘a plan of Satan.’”
Wiggins, meanwhile, has said that his vaccination status is “private” but is said to be “hellbent on not getting the vaccine,” according to TMZ.
Earlier this month, the 26-year-old Canadian was denied a request for a vaccine exemption on religious grounds.
“Wiggins will not be able to play in Warriors home games until he fulfills the city’s vaccination requirements,” the NBA said.
TMZ has calculated that unless the two stars change their stance, they are set to miss out on at least 41 home games this season, with Wiggins in line to lose a whopping $15.8 million while Irving will pass up a mammoth $17.5 million.
Elsewhere, Orlando Magic star Jonathan Isaac used his team’s media day this week to give a passionate speech about why he isn’t planning to get vaccinated.
Self-confessed ‘skeptic’ LeBron James revealed that he had taken the step ahead of the new season after “doing his research” on the issue.
