The NBA informed unvaccinated players that they won’t be able to return to the United States after traveling to Canada, and will not be able to compete in scheduled games starting in 2022.
In a league memo obtained by an ESPN journalist on Tuesday, the NBA stated that unvaccinated players will no longer be able to play in Toronto beginning Jan. 15.
The Toronto Raptors are the only Canadian-based franchise in the 30-club association.
The rule will also be in effect for unvaccinated players who travel outside of the U.S. during the league’s All-Star weekend, according to the league memo.
The NBA’s latest COVID-19 policy comes after a new Canadian measure that requires visitors entering the country to be vaccinated.
According to the law, a visitor who meets the criteria for limited exceptions will be allowed entry to Canada but will have to enter quarantine for two weeks, ESPN reported.
This comes as notable players like Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan and Charlotte Hornets guards LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier have entered the league’s health and safety protocols over the weekend.
The league said that almost all of its players are vaccinated (97 percent), and more than 60 percent have received their booster shots, according to the sports news outlet.
Teams were instructed to distribute the memo to all players and will have to furnish a list of unvaccinated players to the league’s office by Friday, ESPN noted.
The Hill has reached out to the NBA for more information.