Sports Minister wants to see positivity towards vaccine rollout from 'sporting role models'

Sports Minister Jack Chambers says it is 'concerning' that some sportspeople have not received Covid-19 vaccines.

The Dublin West TD was speaking on Newstalk's Lunchtime Live on Wednesday.

Yesterday, Republic of Ireland attacker Callum Robinson revealed he hasn't been vaccinated, despite catching the virus twice. 

"It is concerning," the Minister said when asked about some sportspeople not getting the jab.

"I know Jurgen Klopp spoke about it in recent days as well.

"It would be good to see leadership from players here and elsewhere around the vaccination rollout, we've seen a huge uptake of the vaccine here amongst young people with massive uptake as we know over recent weeks and months.

"It would be good to see all our sporting role models demonstrate positivity towards the vaccination rollout and I think young people here have spoken in large numbers and they've gotten the vaccine and that's given us a huge amount of positivity around how we can ease restrictions and how it impacts on return of spectators and on other matters as well.

"But I think it would obviously be preferable that we'd have people being positive role models around the vaccination rollout."

There have been some suggestions that players who have not been vaccinated should be left out of future squads.

However, the Minister says that is a separate issue.

I think in terms of team selection that's obviously a matter for the manager whether it's for a local team or a national team like the FAI,"

"I think it's unlikely we'll see a manager make a decision like that but I think it would be preferable that we'd see people coming out speaking positively about the vaccination rollout and encouraging young people to get that protection for themselves, their families and their communities.

"Jurgen Klopp spoke about it and I think it was Shamrock Rovers, they've outlined how the vast majority of their players and backroom team have been vaccinated so we've very positive stories around sport and people taking the vaccine and I think it's important to highlight that as well."

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