NRL CEO Andrew Abdo rules out vaccine mandate for players
The NRL are offering 3000 vaccinated footy fans free tickets to this weekend’s finals, but won’t commit to vaccinating all their staff and players.
The first thousand people to get jabbed at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, the Pinkenba cruise ship terminal, and the Logan Entertainment Centre and Mt Warren Park Sports Centre will receive double passes.
CEO Andrew Abdo told Mark Levy the NRL and its clubs are “leading by example” by setting up pop-up vaccination hubs at stadiums in Rockhampton and Mackay, Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, and Penrith and Belmore in NSW.
However when pressed about vaccine mandates for players, he confirmed neither the NRL or ARLC intend to introduce such a policy, and “I don’t see that changing”.
Clubs may choose to terminate a player’s contract for refusing vaccination, but “that’s an employment matter between the club as the employer and then the player as the individual”.
“I’m hopeful and confident that it won’t come to that.
“We don’t believe it should be be mandatory for anyone.”
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Image: Nine News, Getty