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Unvaccinated Athletes Remain Prohibited from Entering Canada Despite Loosening of Restrictions
The Ontario Government may be loosening COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday, but unvaccinated professional athletes will remain prohibited from entering the country for the foreseeable future.
Canadian Border Services have confirmed that there have been no changes to the federal government's vaccine exemption list and no changes are expected ahead of March 1, when the Toronto Raptors will return home to take on the Brooklyn Nets.
Tuesday's game will mark a turning point for the Raptors who will return to full capacity at Scotiabank Arena for the first time since December 14, 2021. The provincial government's loosening of restrictions will permit the team to play in front of over 19,000 fans regardless of vaccine status, Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment has announced. Masks remain required for all patrons.
Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, however, will remain prohibited from entering the country due to his vaccine status and therefore will not play the Raptors on Monday night in Brooklyn, where vaccine mandates remain in place, nor on Tuesday night in Toronto. While Brooklyn is planning to roll back some of its vaccine requirements in the coming days, Irving will remain ineligible to play home games as a private sector worker, according to The New York Times.
Irving's vaccine status could loom large for the Nets should Brooklyn be forced to play the Raptors in the Play-In tournament where the Nets currently sit eighth in the Eastern Conference, one game back of Toronto. If the season ended today, he would be ineligible to play in Brooklyn's opening Play-In tournament game in Toronto and, should the Nets lose, ineligible to play a do-or-die second Play-In game in Brooklyn.
Ontario will lift proof of vaccination requirements for all non-essential businesses on Tuesday.
Further Reading
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Raptors coach Nick Nurse says he's seen a change in Precious Achiuwa since the Rising Stars game
Raptors have no answers for Trae Young & other takeaways from Toronto's loss to Atlanta
