The NRL along with other major sporting codes in Sydney will reportedly implement a no vaccination, no attendance rule next year.
Reports of the ruling has been backed up Venues NSW Chairman Tony Shepherd who told The Daily Telegraph that in 2021 “venues will say you can’t attend” unless you’ve been vaccinated.
With fans facing mandatory vaccination to attend games, NRL journalist David Riccio believes the competition will next have to look at what to do with players who are opposed to getting the jab.
“Big story, Venues New South Wales Chairman Tony Shepherd has said there’s no other way to bring fans back to the footy,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“I think whatever way you look at it, whatever side of the fence you sit on, I think it’s inevitable.
“You won’t be able to enter a stadium, won’t be able to enter a match, go to a game if you haven’t had your COVID jab and are able to prove it with a passport.
“The next step for me is the player vaccination.
“That’s the next agenda item for the NRL, they will know there will be players that won’t want the vaccination, as we’ve seen in the past.”
Riccio believes the NRL are looking at the way the NFL is treating unvaccinated players, with teams facing harsh consequences if the league is thrown into chaos due to a player refusing the jab.
“There is an NFL model that the NRL is looking at,” Riccio explained.
“The way the NFL is treating it is that non-vaccinated players are being treated differently to vaccinated players under protocols.
“Even to the point where they have rules in place that if a player picks up the infection within your team that isn’t vaccinated, then you forfeit the game.
“I think that’s the next phase of debate and discussion within the game of rugby league.”