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Reading: Former NBA Referees Sued The League After They Were Fired For Not Taking The COVID Vaccine
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Home > NBA News & Media > Former NBA Referees Sued The League After They Were Fired For Not Taking The COVID Vaccine

Former NBA Referees Sued The League After They Were Fired For Not Taking The COVID Vaccine

Three former NBA referees have sued the league as they stated that they were fired for refusing to take the COVID vaccine.

Gautam Varier
Nov 23, 2022
3 Min Read
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Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It seems a bit weird to think now that just two years back we were all basically cooped up in our homes because of a global pandemic. COVID-19 brought everyone’s lives to a standstill and it was only when effective vaccines finally came in, that a semblance of normality returned.

The NBA also wanted all individuals associated with the league to get the vaccine, but not everyone was keen on getting the shot. We all know about Kyrie Irving’s stance on the matter at this point as he remains unvaccinated and while it didn’t allow him to play home games last season because of the rules in New York City, Kyrie still got to keep his job. 


Former NBA Referees Sued The League After They Were Fired For Not Taking The Vaccine

That wasn’t the case for everyone though, as some referees were fired for not taking the vaccine as per reports. Three of them have now made the decision to sue the league, as an exemption on religious grounds wasn’t granted to them.

via Reuters:

In a complaint filed on Saturday in Manhattan federal court, Kenny Mauer, Mark Ayotte and Jason Phillips said the league improperly forced compliance with its “hygienic norms,” and wrongly concluded that their sincere religious objections fell short of its “high standard” against being vaccinated.

The plaintiffs said the NBA’s “jab or job ultimatum” led to their suspensions for the 2021-2022 season, when the league required COVID vaccinations for all employees other than players.

They said the league refused to reinstate them despite lifting the vaccine requirement for the 2022-2023 season, consistent with the ban on vaccine mandates under its new seven-year collective bargaining agreement with referees.

“Had the NBA not taken upon itself to force faith-based conscientious objectors to adhere to secular norms, none of plaintiffs’ complained-of injuries would have manifested,” the complaint said. “In sum: Plaintiffs were persecuted.”

Considering the mandate was lifted for the players, it does seem unfair that the referees lost their job because they didn’t want to get the shot. You shouldn’t really have different rules for different groups and it remains to be seen how this situation unfolds.

Kenny Mauer, Mark Ayotte, and Jason Phillips had been associated with the NBA for a long time, with Mauer having been a referee for 35 years. It is really unfortunate that things came to an end in this fashion. 

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ByGautam Varier
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Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
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