In response to the allegation that Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Antonio Brown used a solid COVID-19 vaccination card to bypass the NFL’s security protocols, the league introduced on Friday that it’s launching an investigation into the star huge receiver’s vaccine standing. “We’re conscious of the report and have been involved with the membership. We are going to assessment the matter,” NFL vp of communications Brian McCarthy informed CNN. “No membership has reported any points throughout the verification course of,” added McCarthy, earlier than noting that “any try by crew personnel or gamers to make use of a solid or faux card can be reviewed below the private conduct coverage. As well as, it’s a federal legal offense.” 

The league’s pandemic security measures state that each crew is chargeable for verifying the vaccination standing of all of their crew members, as unvaccinated gamers and coaches are required to comply with a stricter set of pointers. The accusations towards Brown have been first delivered to gentle by the participant’s former live-in chef, Steven Ruiz, who informed the Tampa Bay Instances that Brown’s girlfriend, Cydney Moreau, requested him to acquire “COVID playing cards” for the couple in July. “JNJ shot. Ab mentioned he would offer you $500,” Moreau allegedly wrote in a textual content message. Whereas Ruiz mentioned that he was unable to offer them, the chef claimed that he later witnessed Brown exhibiting off fraudulent vaccination playing cards that he obtained elsewhere. Ruiz spoke to the Tampa Bay Instances after his relationship with Brown dissolved after the participant allegedly didn’t pay him the $10,000 owed to the chef. In accordance with Sports activities Illustrated, Brown reportedly has a historical past of unpaid money owed. (Brown didn’t reply to the Tampa Bay Instances’ messages left on his mobile phone.)

Brown’s lawyer, Sean Burstyn, launched an announcement denying Ruiz’s claims: “Mr. Brown confirmed to me that he was vaccinated and, if a booster ultimately turns into advisable, he’ll be glad to air it dwell on TV. He’s glad to show this into a possibility to advocate for the security of vaccines, and finds it a bit complicated that the supply of this story would admit to trying to acquire and resell faux vaccination playing cards.” Burstyn went on to say that Brown “is wholesome, vaccinated, and able to win one other Tremendous Bowl” and referred to the report as “baseless, vindictive tabloid gossip.” As for the Buccaneers, the crew mentioned it “obtained accomplished vaccination playing cards” from all of its gamers and “submitted the required info to the NFL by means of the established course of in accordance with league coverage. All vaccination playing cards have been reviewed by Buccaneers personnel and no irregularities have been noticed.”

The booming fake-vaccine-card enterprise has already impacted different skilled leagues. Within the NHL, San Jose Sharks left winger Evander Kane obtained a 21-game suspension with out pay “for a longtime violation” of the league’s COVID-19 protocols. And in latest months, quite a few fake-vaccine-card sellers have been caught within the U.S., together with New Jersey lady Jasmine Clifford who’s going through costs for pedaling roughly 250 forgeries by way of her @AntiVaxMomma Instagram account. So as to add an air of legitimacy, Clifford’s alleged conspirator entered a few of her clients’ names into the New York immunization database.

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