Should the COVID vaccine be mandatory for athletes?

It would be disingenuous to assume this can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” answer, however it is something that has sports fans and athletes divided alike. For even simple moments like this, we must continue to remind ourselves that although these professional athletes can appear to be other worldly on the field/court, they are in fact citizens like the rest of us with decisions to make that is in the best interest of themselves and those close to them. This is not a discussion on whether each athlete should get the vaccine and why. This is a broader look at athletes in general, their impact on the community, and why they may be under different guidelines than normal citizens in each respective community with regards to the vaccine. It should also be noted for the sake of this discussion, the vaccine intention is not to outright make everyone immediately immune to covid. The effects of the vaccine are said to reduce symptoms greatly if you do test positive, decrease the chance of spreading the virus, and a decreased change in catching it as well. So, let’s dive in!

Vaccine hesitancy among athletes appears to come largely from uncertainty with the way it was expedited and the lack of information regarding long term health effects.

As Montez Sweat had said "I'm not a fan of it at all, I probably won't get vaccinated until I get more facts and that type of stuff."

As Cole Beasley stated, “I may die of covid, but I would rather die living”.

With the new NFLPA rules regarding COVID guidelines for the year, it appears to be geared towards those who are vaccinated, although it doesn’t consider the vaccine mandatory at this time. Tier 1 and 2 personnel are required to get vaccinated due to the amount of time spent closely to players. In just this past week, that led to multiple coaching changes strictly due to COVID guidelines set forth by the NFLPA. While vaccinations have helped bring things closer back to normal, we are still seeing the effects of COVID as recent as the College World Series as NC State was forced to withdraw due to lack of eligible players. Chris Paul also missing playoff games due to testing positive for COVID. It is still unclear at this time if Chris Paul was vaccinated. Andrew Wiggins was also confirmed back in March of 2021 (its fair to give anyone time to have an updated opinion if necessary with new information) of stating he would not get the vaccine unless forced.

As mentioned above, athletes are citizens just like the rest of us, so why is it even a question of the vaccine being mandatory for athletes, but not nationwide? This largely has to do with the money tied into sports and the men who run things from the top. If a player misses time or games due to COVID, that can and will hurt the team overall. Coaches can get fired, players can get cut, and players can miss important time in contract years that can impact their future. The owners that shell out money and coaches whose contract may be on the line, will undoubtedly choose a player that is vaccinated simply to avoid the potential issues down the line. In a way, the vaccinated player can be seen as more “trustworthy” due to the decreased chance of catching and spreading the virus among that team. As much as this is a personal decision, it can backfire on players and we already see that with the new NFLPA guidelines released before preseason. While these leagues have backed off of some restrictions like mask wearing, those who are not vaccinated in the NFL will have to adhere to such guidelines. Guidelines that include daily testing, social distancing away from teammates/coaches, and monitoring of whereabouts for potential health and safety protocols.

So, should players be required to take the vaccine, to “keep the show on the road” and avoid any hiccups in the season? The short answer is no. There is a lot of money on the line in sports, especially professional sports, and that will lead to upset opinions when their money is impacted by these decisions. These professional athletes have family and their own health to worry about outside of the game. If a player feels they don’t have enough information on the subject then its on the player and organization to become educated on the topic so they can move forward together as they choose. If players still decide not to become vaccinated, that is their choice, they are also willingly accepting what comes with that. These will be more strict guidelines than those who are vaccinated along with the increased risk of catching or spreading the virus among the locker room. Athletes have a decision to make just like the rest of us, and being paid millions doesn’t change that fact.