Ken Mauer, an NBA referee since 1986 who says he was prevented from persevering with his profession due to his non secular objections to the vaccine mandate agreed to by the NBA referees' union, stated he's "proud" of the truckers protesting in opposition to COVID restrictions and mandates in Canada and that he needs his union would have performed the identical.
Mauer stated in a latest episode of Fearless, a present from The Blaze hosted by Jason Whitlock, that a few of the NBA's over 70 referees within the union had questions in regards to the union agreeing to a vaccine mandate.
NBA gamers weren't required to get the COVID vaccine earlier than returning to play for the 2021-22 season, because the NBA Gamers Affiliation pushed again on a full mandate. The league's collective bargaining settlement with the Nationwide Basketball Referees Affiliation, nevertheless, did embody a vaccine mandate, and by the beginning of the season solely 4 referees, together with Mauer, weren't vaccinated, Mediaite reported.
Within the podcast, Mauer stated that he personally determined to not get vaccinated due to a disputed declare that aborted fetal tissue was utilized in improvement of the vaccine, in response to Mediaite. Mauer stated he's happy with the Canadian truckers and needs his union would have fought more durable in opposition to permitting a vaccine mandate and as a substitute allowed it to be a private selection.
"I'll by no means ever query what a trucker expenses me to ship one thing once more in my life," Mauer stated. "No matter he expenses, I am gonna pay it, no matter it's. I am so happy with them."
He stated he believes many of the truckers are vaccinated and are merely preventing the truth that it is mandated and that some folks could lose their jobs over the mandate, and stated he "hopes to see" the identical in America quickly.
Mauer, a Catholic, stated he by no means thought that his non secular beliefs would get in the best way of his job as a referee, however the COVID vaccine made that occur. The Catholic Church has permitted getting the COVID vaccine, with Pope Francis final month calling it a "ethical obligation" to these round us to take action.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has touted the success of the league's applications encouraging gamers to get vaccinated and stated the league is about 97 or 98 % vaccinated with a major quantity having acquired boosters as nicely.
Nevertheless, that small share of unvaccinated gamers has produced some notable exceptions like Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets, who has been unable to play in dwelling video games this season due to New York Metropolis's vaccine necessities for giant public gatherings. Final week, NYC Mayor Eric Adams known as the mandate "unfair" as a result of it's stopping Irving from taking part in at dwelling however doesn't cease unvaccinated gamers from opposing groups from coming into Brooklyn to play.
At a Wednesday occasion, Adams responded to a query about different cities lifting vaccine and masks necessities by saying he was excited for New York Metropolis to achieve that time and to anticipate extra bulletins about these necessities altering within the coming weeks. If the mandate is lifted, it may enable Irving to return to Nets dwelling video games for the remainder of the common season and playoffs.
Newsweek has reached out to the Nationwide Basketball Referees Affiliation for touch upon Mauer's latest statements.
Replace 2/23/22 1:09 p.m. EST: This story has been up to date with further context and data.
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