PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said that the league will not take it against players who opt not to get inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine.
However, there will be ‘disadvantages’ for them.
While the league believes that it is their right to refuse shots, he said that those players will face restrictions unlike the others vaccinated.
“Madaming disadvantage ang walang vaccine,” the fourth-year league chief said in a virtual press conference, Thursday.
“Maraming restrictions ‘yun … Kung hindi ka naka-vaccine, hindi ka makakalabas, hindi ka makakatanggap ng bisita.”
But the worst is the possibility of not receiving pay from their teams, especially if they test positive for COVID-19, according to Marcial.
“Baka ‘pag nag positive ka pa, fourteen days quarantine ‘yun, so fourteen days baka mawalan ka ng suweldo,” he said.
Just recently, a bill has been filed at the House of Representatives seeking to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory in the country.
Marcial is aware of that development, although he reiterated that the league isn’t forcing players who refuse vaccination.
“Okay lang kung ayaw nilang magpa-vaccine. Karapatan nila ‘yun,” he said.
“Naiintindihan natin kung ayaw nila at hindi mandatory ng gobyerno, hindi natin pipilitin.”
