# Sports people and the vaccine..



## joer (6 Oct 2021)

It seems that a lot of football, soccer, players are not vaccinated . I think that they should not be allowed to play for either club or country . What do others think . We all know that this virus has not gone away.


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## Purple (6 Oct 2021)

Soccer players aren't renowned for their intellect and there's idiots in every walk of life but I'm not sure if they should not be allowed play, except on H&S grounds.


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## joer (6 Oct 2021)

Purple said:


> Soccer players aren't renowned for their intellect and there's idiots in every walk of life but I'm not sure if they should not be allowed play, except on H&S grounds.


I know that people cannot be forced to be vaccinated and I'm not sure of the statistics on the spread of Covid within sport in general . But the message that the so called elite of sport should be sending out to the guys, or idiots, that follow them should be in my opinion be , get vaccinated.


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## Leper (6 Oct 2021)

Herr Purplemeister - What's a H&S ground? (just doting trying to imagine what it is).


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## odyssey06 (6 Oct 2021)

If they aren't vaccinated then they need to be tested every 48 hours, given you can't really socially distance and do the kind of training they do.


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## joer (6 Oct 2021)

odyssey06 said:


> If they aren't vaccinated then they need to be tested every 48 hours, given you can't really socially distance and do the kind of training they do.


But they, the sports players are in a different league , pardon the pun. When we not allowed to even shake hands they were allowed to tackle, scrum, fight (one another) and hug sure why would'nt they think that they should decide whether they should take the vaccine or not. 
i heard of one soccer player , in England, who is supposed to have said that he was too fit to get Covid . These people are sending out the wrong message and it should be stopped once and for all.


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## Purple (6 Oct 2021)

Leper said:


> Herr Purplemeister - What's a H&S ground? (just doting trying to imagine what it is).


Giving their disease to other people. I don't think stupid is contagious so it's just Covid we'd have to worry about.


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## odyssey06 (6 Oct 2021)

joer said:


> But they, the sports players are in a different league , pardon the pun. When we not allowed to even shake hands they were allowed to tackle, scrum, fight (one another) and hug sure why would'nt they think that they should decide whether they should take the vaccine or not.
> i heard of one soccer player , in England, who is supposed to have said that he was too fit to get Covid . These people are sending out the wrong message and it should be stopped once and for all.


Well they were supposed to be in bubbles \ pods, effectively the team was one large family. This was the logic for professionals but here it was extrapolated into 'elite amateurs' which did not make sense to me.

I'm not sure if they are too fit to get covid, but given how fit they are we would expect them to fare better if they got covid than average person. 
So from their own personal risk covid v vaccine is probably a close call.
From a practical sense though being vaccinated would be better for the club (and wider society!) in terms of reducing risk.

The clubs would need to be pretty sure of the legal grounds of their case though, what clauses they could rely on both from health & safety and from message\reputational effect.


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## Leper (6 Oct 2021)

88%+ of our population is fully vaccinated. Around 50% only of Premiership players in the UK are vaccinated. Professional football players are role models and highly paid individuals; they are sending out the wrong message regarding Covid. Whatever reason given this is a disgrace and I (for one) don't want these over-privileged individuals representing me at international level.

The IRFU must be commended on 99%+ vaccination of its players.


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## seamus m (6 Oct 2021)

It's their choice the odds on them getting sick from co I'd are probably the same as them getting sick from the vaccine ,especially  now that 88per fully vaccinated


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## Sunny (6 Oct 2021)

There are people working in hospitals and nursing homes that are unvavcinated. There are people going on public transport that are unvaccinated. There are people working in retail, hospitality and every other industry that are unvaccinated. 

Why is this even a story? Either make vaccination mandatory or mind your own business. Just because he plays football doesn't make him a role model or an example to be followed. It is mad how young men who kick a ball around a field are expected to set standards for the children of the world. 

The science is there. People who choose not to get vaccinated are complete and utter idiots. However, it is still their choice. Until that changes, stop the witch hunts. My friends two parents in their 80's refuse to get vaccinated. They are idiots but at the moment they have the right to be idiots. People lecturing them on how idiotic they are won't make them change their minds.


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## Paul O Mahoney (7 Oct 2021)

Why are some footballers vaccine hesitant & what happens next?
					

With the Premier League, club managers, politicians and football authorities all encouraging vaccinations, why are some players still hesitant - and what can be done?




					www.bbc.com
				




Reading this would indicate that while not being a witch hunt there are concerns at all levels on this , sporting people are role models for younger people and really need to understand what they also have massive influence that can be used for the betterment of society as a whole.


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## Tintagel (7 Oct 2021)

What can a person do in this situation below?

Interesting to read the original post, the review and then the owners response.


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## Ceist Beag (7 Oct 2021)

Sunny said:


> Just because he plays football doesn't make him a role model or an example to be followed.


Sunny with all due respect that is exactly what it does. Premier League footballers are role models whether they want to be or not. They do have an influence on people, primarily young people and they do have a responsibility to be aware of that influence. In fairness to them, most Premier League clubs perform very well in this regard, ensuring their players are aware and act accordingly. Unfortunately in this instance the clubs cannot do more than persuade and it is the players who are setting a bad example.  Your friends two parents are not role models so they are not going to have any influence on others in general but Premier League footballers most certainly do and they are acting poorly here.


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## Sunny (7 Oct 2021)

Paul O Mahoney said:


> Why are some footballers vaccine hesitant & what happens next?
> 
> 
> With the Premier League, club managers, politicians and football authorities all encouraging vaccinations, why are some players still hesitant - and what can be done?
> ...



Nurses are role models. Doctors are role models. Politicians are role models. Parents are role models. Teachers are role models. Anyone that has any interaction with a young person can be a role model. Yet we are not asking any of them that chose not to get vaccinated to explain themselves and to be judged.

There is concern because the media created concern. Started with the news that a few England players were not getting vaccinated and might have to miss the world Cup. Thats what the concern was. Missing football rather than the betterment of society.   It spread from there to the media using every press conference to quiz managers and players on their vaccine status and their views on vaccines because the media smelled a story. They are footballers who it now seems are to be blamed for vaccine hesitancy or are responsible for making decisions in the hope that it will influence young people. If a young teenager is not getting vaccinated because an Irish footballer says he is not, the issue lies with the parents of the child not with the footballer.


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## Sunny (7 Oct 2021)

Ceist Beag said:


> Sunny with all due respect that is exactly what it does. Premier League footballers are role models whether they want to be or not. They do have an influence on people, primarily young people and they do have a responsibility to be aware of that influence. In fairness to them, most Premier League clubs perform very well in this regard, ensuring their players are aware and act accordingly. Unfortunately in this instance the clubs cannot do more than persuade and it is the players who are setting a bad example.  Your friends two parents are not role models so they are not going to have any influence on others in general but Premier League footballers most certainly do and they are acting poorly here.



My friends parents are grandparents to numerous children. Very frightening to think society now places more value on the influence that people on TV have on young people. Sure why don't we just rich famous people teach our kids values.


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## Purple (7 Oct 2021)

Ceist Beag said:


> They do have an influence on people, primarily young people and they do have a responsibility to be aware of that influence.


Some of the guys playing football would struggle to breath with their mouth closed. The fact that they are role models is an indictment on society.


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## Ceist Beag (7 Oct 2021)

Sunny said:


> My friends parents are grandparents to numerous children. Very frightening to think society now places more value on the influence that people on TV have on young people. Sure why don't we just rich famous people teach our kids values.


Are you only waking up to that now? I'm not saying it is right, but it certainly is so.


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## Paul O Mahoney (7 Oct 2021)

Sunny said:


> They are footballers who it now seems are to be blamed for vaccine hesitancy or are responsible for making decisions in the hope that it will influence young people. If a young teenager is not getting vaccinated because an Irish footballer says he is not, the issue lies with the parents of the child not with the footballer.


Well nobody is " blaming " anyone for vaccine hesitancy if you read the article there is concern among the football world. 

And if that child was say 18 ? Or the child isn't in a stable home environment. 

Marcus Rashford a young man used his fame from football to get school dinners available when schools were closed last year and it went on to him setting up a charity. They have influence


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## Ceist Beag (7 Oct 2021)

Purple said:


> Some of the guys playing football would struggle to breath with their mouth closed. The fact that they are role models is an indictment on society.


Agreed. Nonetheless it is a fact.


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## Paul O Mahoney (7 Oct 2021)

Sunny said:


> My friends parents are grandparents to numerous children. Very frightening to think society now places more value on the influence that people on TV have on young people. Sure why don't we just rich famous people teach our kids values.


Theres a whole industry now , they call themselves " influencers " and its a multi billion industry.


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## Sophrosyne (7 Oct 2021)

Sunny said:


> Nurses are role models. Doctors are role models. Politicians are role models. Parents are role models. Teachers are role models. Anyone that has any interaction with a young person can be a role model. Yet we are not asking any of them that chose not to get vaccinated to explain themselves and to be judged.
> 
> There is concern because the media created concern. Started with the news that a few England players were not getting vaccinated and might have to miss the world Cup. Thats what the concern was. Missing football rather than the betterment of society. It spread from there to the media using every press conference to quiz managers and players on their vaccine status and their views on vaccines because the media smelled a story. They are footballers who it now seems are to be blamed for vaccine hesitancy or are responsible for making decisions in the hope that it will influence young people. If a young teenager is not getting vaccinated because an Irish footballer says he is not, the issue lies with the parents of the child not with the footballer


I’m not sure that “role model” is the correct description, fame would probably be a better one. Fame influences. This shouldn’t be surprizing; it always has done.

If you are in doubt about that influence, just look at product endorsement by sportspeople and other celebrities. If it didn't work it wouldn't happen.


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## Purple (7 Oct 2021)

Ceist Beag said:


> Agreed. Nonetheless it is a fact.


Yep, so the solution isn't to try to overcome genetics and a baked-in bad attitude. The solution is to find better role models.


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## Eureka101 (8 Oct 2021)

Anyone who ‘chooses’ not to get vaccinated is a coward and selfish.

If you ‘choose’ not to then you must be scared of something? Therefore a coward.?

If they’re not scared then they are simply selfish. It really is as simple as that.

Vaccination is clearly leading us toward the light from the dark days of the last 18 months.
Seems like 90% of the population are willing to pull together and in the same direction only to allow a small minority to exercise their ‘rights’ of freedom of choice.

Millions of young children wear the names of their idols on their backs and the footballers talk directly to them via social media therefore they are role models to impressionable and naive young minds.

Covid really has shone a light on lots of different things over the last 18 months…


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## Leo (8 Oct 2021)

Eureka101 said:


> Anyone who ‘chooses’ not to get vaccinated is a coward and selfish.
> 
> If you ‘choose’ not to then you must be scared of something? Therefore a coward.?
> 
> If they’re not scared then they are simply selfish. It really is as simple as that.


In fairness it's not that long ago that most people were afraid of thunder and believed it to be a display of divine anger. Even today people who are ill-informed or poorly educated fear things the majority know to be harmless. 

This is a good teaching opportunity for parents to show that such influential people should not be trusted with blind faith.


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## Purple (8 Oct 2021)

Leo said:


> In fairness it's not that long ago that most people were afraid of thunder and believed it to be a display of divine anger. Even today people who are ill-informed or poorly educated fear things the majority know to be harmless.


Some people still think there's a magic man in the sky who made everything, I know, crazy innit?


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## Leo (8 Oct 2021)

Purple said:


> Some people still think there's a magic man in the sky who made everything, I know, crazy innit?


Shhhh, he might smite you!!


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## Purple (8 Oct 2021)

Leo said:


> Shhhh, he might smite you!!


To paraphrase Ricky Gervais, he's too busy giving AIDS to all those kids in Africa.


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## joer (8 Oct 2021)

I don't think that people who do not get vaccinated are cowards but I do think that they are selfish. 
The big Irish soccer story this week was  Robinson not getting the jab but I have yet to hear any other  Irish player who say that they have been vaccinated, that is not sending out any positive message to anyone especially young fans.


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## Leper (8 Oct 2021)

The irony of Mr Robinson's situation is that he has had Covid twice and recovered. I don't get his "We're so fit, we don't do the vaccine" caper. I know 16 year old hurlers that are fitter than him and they've taken the vaccine. Mr Robinson is nothing short of being selfish, uncaring and irresponsible.


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## joer (8 Oct 2021)

Leper said:


> The irony of Mr Robinson's situation is that he has had Covid twice and recovered. I don't get his "We're so fit, we don't do the vaccine" caper. I know 16 year old hurlers that are fitter than him and they've taken the vaccine. Mr Robinson is nothing short of being selfish, uncaring and irresponsible.


That's right and he is  showing the same selfish , uncaring and irresponsible to others.


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## Purple (8 Oct 2021)

joer said:


> I don't think that people who do not get vaccinated are cowards


I think they are stupid. There's no logical reason not to take it. People who think there are valid reasons are just wrong. And stupid.


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## Paul O Mahoney (8 Oct 2021)

Purple said:


> I think they are stupid. There's no logical reason not to take it. People who think there are valid reasons are just wrong. And stupid.


I think they are right,  I mean the modern game now rarely sees two players within 2 metres and a hint of a foul will render the player useless and will simply roll/ dive or simply run away flapping their arms in disgust crying while redoing their hair.  Don't forget the socks extra protection.

It's the physios I feel sorry for, rubbing legs not injured, and the stretcher bearers.....

They do put people at risk by not being vaccinated but they need the media too.


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## Leper (8 Oct 2021)

Paul O Mahoney said:


> I think they are right,  I mean the modern game now rarely sees two players within 2 metres and a hint of a foul will render the player useless and will simply roll/ dive or simply run away flapping their arms in disgust crying while redoing their hair.  Don't forget the socks extra protection.
> 
> It's the physios I feel sorry for, rubbing legs not injured, and the stretcher bearers.....
> 
> They do put people at risk by not being vaccinated but they need the media too.


Ah feel you're bein' terribly cynical Paul the gaffa had us re-awe-sin the national an-hem earlier and said we should ‘ave got the vax before we came out to Azer – Azer – Azer wha’ ever country we’re playin’ in and I sed to ‘im whilst tryin’ to get my lipsinkin’ lips around the song that my biggest fear as usual is we’d be miming to the wrong an-hem music. Bu’ I would like to fank my grandfaw-der for makin’ this day possible and I’m proud to represent my country although given ‘alf the chawnce I’d be wiff Garret Southgate in Spine against Andorra.


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## Sunny (8 Oct 2021)

There are plenty of people who don't get their children the MMR vaccine which is probably even more stupid than not taking a Covid vaccine. And they exist in every walk of life just like people who refuse to take the covid vaccine exist in every walk of life. Nurses, Doctors, Teachers all have numbers who refused their vaccines. I don't see people here ridiculing them and they probably don't even have the guts to discuss their vaccine status in public. 

But because one footballer came out and openly discussed his vaccine status, he is being ridiculed and accused of setting a bad example. Not once did he say that he didn't believe in vaccines, not once he did he share any conspiracy theory about the vaccines, not once did he say he didn't think people should get vaccinated. Instead he actually came out and said he might well get vaccinated in the future but for now he was holding off.

 If people want to deal with mis-information and vaccine hesitancy then ramming opinions or jumping on top of people if they dare to even discuss a personal hesitancy is not the way to do it. Professional footballers or any other successful sports person are not thick. They have sporting abilities that only a tiny % of the population has. Anyone that makes it as a professional footballer has worked their entire lives to make it to play at elite level which something like 95% of their equally skilled teammates at schoolboy level will fail to do. They don't do that by being thick. Of course there are some footballers that are awful human beings but I have worked with a few of that type in every company that I have worked in. Difference is the sexist pig sitting beside me doesn't have his Christmas Party exploits plastered all over the Daily Mail. 

And how does how Robinson speak have anything to with getting the Covid vaccine or not? Or reflect his intelligence. Marcus Rashford speaks the same way and has probably done more for children in the UK than any posh public school educated politician.


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## Paul O Mahoney (8 Oct 2021)

Leper said:


> Ah feel you're bein' terribly cynical Paul the gaffa had us re-awe-sin the national an-hem earlier and said we should ‘ave got the vax before we came out to Azer – Azer – Azer wha’ ever country we’re playin’ in and I sed to ‘im whilst tryin’ to get my lipsinkin’ lips around the song that my biggest fear as usual is we’d be miming to the wrong an-hem music. Bu’ I would like to fank my grandfaw-der for makin’ this day possible and I’m proud to represent my country although given ‘alf the chawnce I’d be wiff Garret Southgate in Spine against Andorra.


And you call me cynical,  in fairness Keane and Denis Irwin did a lot of good work for a lot of stuff at home too, despite the persona of Keane in particular.
Denis a fine hurler, and I had to take his legs a few times in the Tank field,  that wasn't yesterday either.


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## Sunny (8 Oct 2021)

Paul O Mahoney said:


> And you call me cynical,  in fairness Keane and Denis Irwin did a lot of good work for a lot of stuff at home too, despite the persona of Keane in particular.
> Denis a fine hurdler, and I had to take his legs a few times in the Tank field,  that wasn't yesterday either.



Actually now that you bring up the GAA, why hasn't the Tyrone football teams attitude towards vaccines garnered the same response? And their attitude wasn't unique while the Championship was being run. I don't remember seeing a thread on it. Of course a black footballer who doesn't speak 'proper' English says something that wasn't even anti-vaccine and he is accused of being too thick to understand and of endangering the young people in society....


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## Paul O Mahoney (8 Oct 2021)

Sunny said:


> Actually now that you bring up the GAA, why hasn't the Tyrone football teams attitude towards vaccines garnered the same response? And their attitude wasn't unique while the Championship was being run. I don't remember seeing a thread on it. Of course a black footballer who doesn't speak 'proper' English says something that wasn't even anti-vaccine and he is accused of being too thick to understand and of endangering the young people in society....


I didn't bring up the GAA, I was simply sharing a memory.

Sunny, you are overthinking this, if anyone said that they should be mandated to be vaccinated it be another row, if Robinson scores a hat trick next day out he'll be a poster boy to the unvaccinated and vaccinated.

Times have changed,  Dylan said they are and he was right.

And Tyrone were/are the best team in Gaelic football globally,  despite the outbreak.


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## Leper (8 Oct 2021)

Please note:- What I wrote above is not a quote from Mr Robinson. It could be any Irish footballer on the squad.


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## time to plan (8 Oct 2021)

It's their choice the odds on them getting sick from co I'd are probably the same as them getting sick from the vaccine ,especially  now that 88per fully vaccinated
Good grief!


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## Paul O Mahoney (8 Oct 2021)

time to plan said:


> It's their choice the odds on them getting sick from co I'd are probably the same as them getting sick from the vaccine ,especially  now that 88per fully vaccinated
> Good grief!


But they are still ambassadors and if good health is to be promoted,  they should be a the front of that effort. 

Most of these lads/ ladies are making more money in endorsements than playing....or whatever they do. They have a channel to influence. 

There is a balance here, media cop on,  unvaccinated " stars" why? 

Humanity depends upon the need to move forward,  and they have a duty in society to further that quest, and bring as many from  behind them foward.

Being an outliner,  for show  isn't the message


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## odyssey06 (9 Oct 2021)

Apparently he plays better the more times he gets covid...


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## mathepac (11 Oct 2021)

Leper said:


> Herr Purplemeister - What's a H&S ground? (just doting trying to imagine what it is).


Hockey & Soccer ground, for non-Gaelic playing schools.


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## Paul O Mahoney (11 Oct 2021)

mathepac said:


> Hockey & Soccer ground, for non-Gaelic playing schools.


Up by the Airport? In Cork.....


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## Leper (11 Oct 2021)

Paul O Mahoney said:


> Up by the Airport? In Cork.....


If you're referring to the cricket and hockey grounds just note it was the only sports ground I was ever thrown out of; in fact I was accompanied in the long walk to the gate while everybody there looked on including the players. The person ejecting me was loud in his conversation and thought he looked and sounded like some kind of superior being. It's another story for my future autobiography.

I wrote to the club the following day and received an apology (although I hadn't looked for one). I have been back there since. It takes more than a loudmouth to silence a passive leper.


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## Purple (11 Oct 2021)

mathepac said:


> Hockey & Soccer ground, for non-Gaelic playing schools.


I don't know anything about the internal workings of the Hermit Kingdom (or Republic) that is Cork.


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## gianni (14 Oct 2021)

Tintagel said:


> What can a person do in this situation below?
> 
> Interesting to read the original post, the review and then the owners response.


That was interesting reading and highlights the potential problems with restricting those who are unvaccinated. There will always be those who can not take a vaccine.


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## Paul O Mahoney (14 Oct 2021)

Purple said:


> I don't know anything about the internal workings of the Hermit Kingdom (or Republic) that is Cork.


We don't either and I'm pure Cork


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## Leper (14 Oct 2021)

Purple said:


> I don't know anything about the internal workings of the Hermit Kingdom (or Republic) that is Cork.


That's no problem, Purple. Us people of Cork will take you by the hand and guide you through areas even you just dream about


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## Purple (14 Oct 2021)

Leper said:


> That's no problem, Purple. Us people of Cork will take you by the hand and guide you through areas even you just dream about


Yes, I have troubled dreams on occasion.


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