A month and a half before the resumption, the NBA has just reached an agreement with the referees union so that all refs are vaccinated. One more way to guarantee the safety of the players and the smooth running of the 2021-22 season.
For the first time in two years * touches wood *, the teams should play a regular season of 82 games, like in the good old days. This year, we are also resuming our good habits with a start of the season in mid-October (precisely on the 19th) and playoffs from mid-April until mid-June. This is the plan. For it to go off without a hitch, the NBA said this week that anyone in contact with players during the season among coaches, logistics, doctors or managers of the scorer’s table should be vaccinated. Logically, the same rule will therefore be applied with the referees following the vote of the union of men and women on the whistles in favor of this change of regulation according to ESPN.
Now, referees, coaches, front-office executives and all other personnel who interact with players during the NBA season are required to be fully vaccinated. https://t.co/6vgZ3SINf1
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 28, 2021
The NBA formalized this agreement on Saturday and the NBRA (National Basketball Referees Association) spoke of a “win-win” situation. ” This will help the NBA in its goal of creating a safe environment on the pitch and ensuring the smooth running of the season while protecting the health and well-being of referees. Since the beginning of the health crisis, the referees had to face new restrictive measures with the protection of the whistles in small bags or even changes in their professional trips. Just like franchise employees, only referees with medical or religious reasons for not getting vaccinated will be exempt. With all these measures, the NBA hopes to put an end to compromising situations and the sidelining of certain players like Chris Paul during the Playoffs, or even the cancellation of certain meetings as was the case last season.
Almost all players in the NBA will be vaccinated next season. One more small step towards a return to normality with a fixed calendar and the return of sold-out rooms, everything we like to be able to fully benefit from our passion for the Great League in short.
Text source: AP via ESPN
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