Six Nations chaos as anti-vax players effectively “barred from games”

Six Nations chaos as anti-vax players effectively “barred from games”

Six Nations chaos as anti-vax players effectively “barred from games”. CREDIT: Twitter

The Six Nations is facing chaos amid reports that anti-vax players could effectively be barred from games.


The Telegraph reports that a rule change is being pushed by UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries that could end special exemptions currently given to elite sports stars who haven’t been vaccinated.
At the moment, sportsmen who are unvaccinated and returning to the UK from abroad can break the 10 day quarantine period to train with their team and play in matches.
However, according to the publication, Dorries is wanting to end the exemption and ensure athletes are treated like members of the public.
The news will shake sport, including top Premier League football clubs due to play in the Champions and Europa League, meaning they would not be able to select unjabbed players who have recently returned to the UK.
The Telegraph says that rugby would also be rocked, with “Six Nations matches and European club games the first affected by any rule change.”
Players would be forced to miss training sessions which would effectively rule them out of upcoming matches, however, it’s unclear at the moment just how this would affect Wales and which players would be hit.
The paper quoted a UK Government source familiar with the discussions as saying: “If you want to have special treatment you’ve got to do your bit. Getting vaccinated isn’t only about you, but others.”
The Six Nations is already facing turmoil as Wales is not permitting fans in the Principality Stadium and Scotland only 500 at Murrayfield for their games.
Insisting the restrictions had to remain in place for the time being, Drakeford said: “I make no criticism of the WRU for exploring all the options that are available to them.”
“They are a business and as a responsible business it seems to me that they are bound to look at all the different possibilities that are there in front of them.”
“Whether they will choose to go ahead and play games elsewhere with the undoubted risks that would bring, were we to be still in the eye of the storm of coronavirus, I think is a very debatable question.”
“But whether I have any problem with them looking at the options that they have available to them, no I don’t.”


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Written by

Laura Kemp

Originally from UK, Laura is based in Axarquia and is a writer for the Euro Weekly News covering news and features. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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