Novak Djokovic’s no-vax gambit and pandemic sports now

Guest: Howard Bryant, senior writer at ESPN and Meadowlark Media

While the vast majority of athletes in most sports are vaccinated, there are high profile stars that choose not to and seem to be pressuring for accommodation. Tennis player Novak Djokovic’s recent fight to play at the Australian Open pitted him against politicians and public pressure as well as border agents. NFL star Aaron Rodgers and the NBA’s Kyrie Irving are also elite athletes who have been in the spotlight for their stances. In Irving’s case, at first he was sent away from his team, the Brooklyn Nets, but as they have struggled on the court, he’s been welcomed back on a part-time basis. We may still be in a global health crisis, but many sports leagues are tired of the pandemic and seem to be willing to play whatever terms are necessary to move past it. This episode was produced by Raju Mudhar, Julia De Laurentiis Johnston and Matthew Hearn.