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Unvaccinated NBA players ‘hit with travel ban’ as league tells teams to name unjabbed stars

NBA stars who are not vaccinated face new travel restrictions following a government ruling on Covid rules, according to a report claiming that teams have been told to give league bosses a list of unjabbed players immediately.

Amid a tightening of protocols following the spread of the new Omicron variant, new Canadian laws are mandating that all visitors entering the country must be vaccinated. 

Although there are limited exceptions, anyone who meets the criteria must quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.

ESPN learned of the development via a memo obtained by reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, which also applies to unvaccinated players who travel outside the US on All-Star Weekend in late February.

That has caused the NBA to reportedly inform teams on Tuesday that any unvaccinated players will not be allowed to travel to Toronto to face the Colorado Raptors in games from January 15 onwards.

Teams have also been told to inform the league of unvaccinated players by Friday. 

The Raptors could also be affected when playing games in the US and returning to Canada, which has fully vaccinated 77 percent – just over 29.1 million people – of its 38 million population.

Ninety-seven percent of NBA players are said to have been vaccinated, while ESPN sources claim that more than 60 percentt have taken booster shots.

Yet rebels such as Kyrie Irving, of the Brooklyn Nets, have been sidelined for their refusal to comply with protocol while taking a major pay hit.

The Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins originally declined but ultimately changed his stance, admitting that he believed “the only options [were] to get vaccinated or not play in the NBA”.

Speaking out against the news, social media onlookers called the move “tyranny” and demanded that players “speak out” against it.

“Just get the vaccine, bruh,” a vaccine exponent on the other side of the debate suggested.

Others were more lighthearted poking fun at Irving and how he might have taken the new measures when learning about them.

“When you see how vaccinated Andrew Wiggins plays, how do you not get your shot?,” one asked in jest. 

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WATCH: Chelsea’s Russian army masses in St. Petersburg

Chelsea’s legion of Russian fans was out in force in St. Petersburg on Wednesday as supporters enjoyed the rare opportunity to watch their team in the flesh as the London club played Zenit in the Champions League.

Fans traveled from cities far and wide across Russia to see the European champions in action, with some arriving from cities such as Vladivostok in the far east – a journey significantly further than the one Chelsea themselves had made from London.

Before the game, the St. Petersburg Blues supporters club organized a special event at a bar in the city center.

A horde of Blues fans massed to sink pints and enjoy entertainment including a special Chelsea-themed quiz, all while belting out chants in honor of their heroes – with just a hint of a Russian accent.

St. Petersburg Blues member Roman Mitkevich told RT Sport that the visit of Chelsea was long awaited.

“A lot of Chelsea fans are flying in for the match from different Russian cities. It’s the most eagerly anticipated game of recent years,” said Roman.

“There are fans coming from all across Russia, as far as Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. Also from other countries: Belarus, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

“It’s a shame that there’s only a small number of fans flying from England, but Covid and omicron can’t be ignored. Everyone’s health is the most important thing.    

“We’ll try to make it so that visually and from the point of view of support, the Chelsea team will feel at home.

“We’ll try to make every Chelsea player hear chants about themselves and the team. Everyone’s welcome in Russia – from Russia with love.”

Among the fans were the Belarus Blues, who were some of the most vocal voices in the bar.

“We’re really excited,” one member said.

“Our support comes from the heart… It’s a fantastic atmosphere, lots of supporters from Kazakhstan, from Belarus, from different parts of Russia are together here. We’ll go to the stadium together.”

Ryan was one of the few Chelsea fans to make the trip from the UK and was joined at a table by a group of fellow Blues from Kazakhstan.

“I had to get an express visa but I’m happy to be here,” said Ryan, from Edinburgh. “I’ve only seen two other Chelsea fans [from the UK] but the support is good everywhere we go from the locals.”

St. Petersburg Blues organizer Roman is adamant that Chelsea are the best-supported foreign team in Russia.

That appeared to be backed up later in the day as several hundred Russians at the Gazprom Arena supported the visitors.

“Chelsea is absolutely the most popular club in Russia (outside of Russian teams),” said Roman.  

“There are strong followings for Liverpool, Manchester United – Manchester City is becoming stronger. But Chelsea in Russia and the former Soviet Union is the leader in terms of the fan base, undoubtedly.

“Of course the influence of Roman Abramovich is huge, a large number of fans began to support Chelsea (in Russia) during his era. But I would perhaps put it differently – he brought attention from the Russian audience to the fact that football could be different, very competitive and beautiful.”

Speaking on Chelsea’s billionaire Russian owner, Yaroslav from Kazakhstan added: “I really want Abramovich to be at the match because it’s his team and his country.”

Abramovich was indeed watching on from the stands at the Gazprom Arena as an under-strength Chelsea and Zenit drew 3-3 after Magomed Ozdoev hit a stunning late equalizer for the hosts.

The result meant Chelsea were forced to settle for second spot in Group H behind Juventus, but for the Blues faithful in Russia and neighboring countries, it was a memorable chance to support their team first-hand.     

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Trudeau leading countries ‘clinging to Cold War mentality’, warns Chinese embassy

China has never had a better human rights record and Canada and other countries must stop politicizing sports through an Olympic boycott that could lead to “self-inflicted humiliation”, Chinese ambassadors have warned.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau confirmed on Tuesday that his country would become the latest nation to observe a diplomatic boycott of the Games, which are scheduled to take place in Beijing in February.

Speaking on Parliament Hill, Trudeau accused China of “repeated human rights violations” over its alleged mistreatment of around a million Uyghur Muslims, which is widely thought to include forced labor and sterilization.

Trudeau said he expected the move to be of no surprise to China. “For months, we have been co-ordinating and discussing the issue with our allies,” he added.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly admitted that she had initiated discussions on a boycott in almost every meeting she has held since taking up her role in October.

Joly will press France – which said on Wednesday that it would not follow suit – and Germany to join the boycott, which gained its most powerful participant when the Biden administration announced on Monday that it would be shunning the Games.

“Clearly, it is important for us to send a strong signal to China because we’re extremely concerned about allegations about the Uyghurs,” explained Joly.

“Canada has been playing a leadership role on this — this is in line with our foreign policy. Canada always stands up on questions of human rights.”

The Chinese Embassy in Canada responded by calling Trudeau’s claims false, describing the accusations as “groundless” and voicing its “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to the move.

In a statement, the embassy said it had “lodged stern representations with the Canadian side.”

“Based on ideological biases as well as lies and rumors, Canada and a handful of western countries have been flagrantly engaged in political maneuvering, with the attempt to disrupt the smooth progress of [the] Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” it thundered.

“Their clumsy performance can hardly find any support and is doomed to fail. The Chinese people are in the best position to judge how China’s human situation is.

“Now, China’s human rights situation is at its historical best – a fact that is recognized by all those without bias. Canada, by contrast, has committed heinous crimes against indigenous people.

“Until today, systematic racial discrimination is still severe in Canada. Canada is simply not qualified to be ‘a human rights preacher’ and is certainly in no position to judge China on this front.”

The announcement pointed the finger at Canada for “gravely violating the principle of political neutrality enshrined in the Olympic Charter”.

As was the case when Australian prime minister Scott Morrison confirmed his country’s boycott, the embassy claimed that Canada had not received the kind of invitation that Russian president Vladimir Putin has been given to attend the games.

“Today, in the 21st century, peace, development and win-win co-operation is the trend of the times and the shared aspiration of all countries,” it hypothesized, positioning Canada as being on the “opposite” side of that theory.

“Clinging to Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, Canada and a handful of western countries interfere in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of human rights in an attempt to disrupt and contain their development process.

“This is firmly opposed not only by the Chinese people, but also by all people that love peace and uphold justice in the world.

“Canada must stop politicizing sports, stop disrupting and undermining the Beijing Winter Olympics immediately, lest it should lead to self-inflicted humiliation.”

Trudeau and the embassy do appear to have common ground on wanting the Games to be a success that is focused on sporting excellence.

“We firmly believe that, under the guidance of the Olympic spirit and with concerted efforts of all sides, we will deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympic Games for the world,” said the embassy.

Trudeau said that a sporting boycott would not be held. “They need to have one thing in mind,” he said of Canadian athletes heading to the showpiece.

“That’s representing the country to the best of their ability and winning a gold medal for Canada.”

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UK public must protest over vaccine passports, urges football hero (VIDEO)

An ex-England and Manchester United favorite has encouraged the public to descend on the UK government’s London base to protest against mandatory Covid jabs, vaccine passports and “lies”.

Gary Neville came through the Red Devils’ academy in its famous Class of ’92, and as a rare one-club man won the Premier League eight times and the Champions League twice.

Now a pundit for Sky Sports, he has been outspoken on issues such as the European Super League and, increasingly, the rule of the current Conservative government in the UK. 

Accusing the Prime Minister of “distraction tactics” amid reports that a Christmas party was held at Downing Street during lockdown last year, Neville embarked on a Twitter video rant in which he demanded “vile” Boris Johnson’s resignation and said “enough is enough” of the “mistruths” while the leader was preparing to announce more covid restrictions in response to the omicron variant.

“The reports emerging that Boris Johnson is going to announce a press conference at 5.30pm, the distraction tactic is now a predictable one,” began Neville to his five million followers.

“We’ve seen it for the last two years. This guy lacks integrity. He lies to us constantly. The mistruths that come out of number 10 are just constant.

“Not only that, but he’s the worst kind of leader. Someone who expects his team to go under with him and come out and lie for him. His ministers and his MPs are constantly forced to do that and enough is enough.”

“It’s not even about a party or a social gathering on December 18,” Neville stressed. “Or a secret Santa or a cheese and wine.

“It’s about actually having a guy at the top of our country who believes he can take us all for a ride and laugh at us.

“He does it time after time after time. This cannot be let go. Now is the time to get this guy out of number 10 and start bringing some standards back into politics.”

Before that, Neville had addressed rumors on Johnson’s Plan B protocol containing orders to work from home and carry vaccine passports by telling him to “do one”.

After Johnson did indeed announce the new measures with those instructions, Neville returned to rant mode. 

“He just needed to apologize,” the ex-right back raged. “Instead, he gave us more lies, threw his team under a bus, [introduced] vaccine passports, introduced the potential for mandatory vaccines, resignations and work from home while being able to party away. The walls are closing in and his own MPs will turn very soon.

On Thursday morning, the 46-year-old ran another poll with echoes of his anti-vaccine passport survey in July, which engaged almost 320,000 users with a 60-40 percent split against the plans.

Neville had attempted to gauge the interest of an angry public in protesting on Downing Street “to stand up for truth and integrity in our democracy against the Scoundrel and his disciples”.

“18th December seems the right date. Have no idea how to organise,” he admitted.

Neville’s latest poll has seen close to 75,000 voters nod 90-10 percent in favor of the anti-government action.

Premier League clubs are reportedly set to demand vaccine passports in order for fans to gain access to stadiums.

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Top women’s footballer floors man during pitch invasion, gets booked for it (VIDEO)

A top striker for Chelsea Women knocked a man to the ground after he ran onto the pitch in search of a selfie during a Women’s Champions League match.

Australia captain Sam Kerr, a Ballon d’Or contender this year and the US National Women’s Soccer League all-time top scorer, was playing for the Blues against Juventus in the Women’s Champions League when a male fan left his seat and stormed the Kingsmeadow pitch.

Showing the kind of instinct that led her to becoming the only female footballer to win the Golden Boot in three different leagues on three different continents, the 28-year-old stopped the encroacher from further disrupting play.

The young man in question’s main aim seemed to be grabbing a selfie with Kerr’s teammate, Magdalena Eriksson.

Warning: video contains swearing

Amid booing from the crowd, he remained on the turf far longer than neccessary, causing fans to grow restless in a farcical interlude.

Videos of the altercation show supporters jeering at the man and swearing at him.

Kerr quickly lifted their spirits by shoulder-checking him to the ground to widespread approval, which also earned her praise from manager Emma Hayes despite the recent FA Cup final scorer confusingly getting booked by the referee.

“He could have waited until the end to have a photograph if he really wanted one. But jokes aside, we do have to think about player safety,” said Hayes.

“We’ve seen with the growth of the game, there is this sense of the players being more in demand.

“It should serve as a reminder to us all, in our stadiums and with our stewards, that we’ve got to put player protection first.”

Down Under, a Sydney Morning Herald reporter said that it was “hard to think of a way Sam Kerr could finish this week that would endear her to Australian fans even more, beyond what she’s achieved on the field”.

“This was the only way,” he added.

Commenting from the Gabba in Brisbane, where Australia are playing England in The Ashes first test, Aussie cricket legend Andrew Symonds was asked about the incident, which reminded sports fans of how he similarly took out a streaker in 2008 when facing India in a one day international.

“We’re obviously bred pretty tough here in Australia and don’t take backwards steps. Sammy obviously took things into her own hands when security couldn’t catch the bloke, so good for her,” said the former all-rounder.

“She’s an icon and obviously knows how to handle herself. I’d like to buy her a beer and chat about it.”

The goalless draw denied Chelsea qualification to the quarter-finals with a group game to spare and was the first time they had failed to score this season.

Despite the shut-out, Kerr is the second-top scorer in the competition courtesy of four goals in five appearances in the current campaign. 

Chelsea remain three points clear of nearest rivals Juve and Wolfsburg. Hayes’ side are guaranteed to reach the knockout stage if they avoid defeat when they visit the German on 16 December.