An anti-vaxxer Edmonton Oiler got COVID and now his hockey career might be over | National Post
https://archive.is/OVK0w
During the pandemic, forward Josh Archibald made his views about COVID known on social media, tweeting COVID-denial information
Author of the article:
Deborah Stokes
Publishing date:
Oct 04, 2021 • 4 hours ago • 2 minute read •
Edmonton Oiler Josh Archibald (left). (PHOTO BY LARRY WONG/ POSTMEDIA)
Article content
Josh Archibald is a forward with the Edmonton Oilers NHL hockey team. He refused to get vaccinated and had gone public on social media with COVID-denial theories. Now, following a diagnosis of a heart condition said to be an after-effect of someone who has contracted COVID, his playing days might be over.
Article content
According to protocols for unvaccinated players, Archibald was in a 14-day quarantine after travelling from the U.S, when he started feeling unwell. Archibald, 28, went for a battery of medical tests and doctors discovered he had COVID antibodies and myocarditis. It is suspected that Archibald had come down with COVID during the summer and myocarditis is a known after-effect of the virus.
Myocarditis can lead to cardiac arrest and possible death with the heart rate increasing through exertion.
“The back half of the 14-day quarantine Arch wasn’t feeling well and got a severe viral infection,” said Edmonton Oilers coach Dave Tippett. “He tried to skate a few days, they did a bunch of tests and the tests showed at some point he had contracted COVID. He got a bunch of blood work done and he’s been diagnosed with the myocarditis. He’s having a CT scan and an MRI this week. He’s out indefinitely until we figure out where we are at.”
During the pandemic, Archibald made his views about COVID known on social media, tweeting out COVID-denial information.
The diagnosis of myocarditis puts his career in serious jeopardy.
The Edmonton Journal reported that Archibald had no symptoms when he left the team after playoffs, but testing found he has the antibodies now.
“So at some point he got Covid,” said Tippett.
The Edmonton Oilers organization had attempted to get Archibald to change his mind about getting a vaccine. General manager Ken Holland and Tippett had talked to him before training camp opened and laid out the penalty for being unvaxxed: He would have to quarantine for two weeks every time he came back from a U.S. road trip and he could miss 30 or more games because of it and lose his salary.
Archibald had one year left on his contract at $1.5 million salary.
The NHL says 90 to 95 per cent of their players will be vaccinated by the start of the season Oct. 12, but there might still be a few who refuse. If an unvaccinated player tests positive for COVID, they will be suspended without pay.
Other professional sports leagues are also navigating the vaccine playing field. Andrew Wiggins, the Canadian basketball star, had originally refused to get vaccinated and faced the prospect of not being allowed into his Golden State Warrior team’s stadium building in San Francisco. Proof of vaccination is required for large indoor events there. The Toronto-area native has since received his COVID-19 vaccine and is eligible to play in all games.
https://archive.is/OVK0w
During the pandemic, forward Josh Archibald made his views about COVID known on social media, tweeting COVID-denial information
Author of the article:
Deborah Stokes
Publishing date:
Oct 04, 2021 • 4 hours ago • 2 minute read •
Edmonton Oiler Josh Archibald (left). (PHOTO BY LARRY WONG/ POSTMEDIA)
Article content
Josh Archibald is a forward with the Edmonton Oilers NHL hockey team. He refused to get vaccinated and had gone public on social media with COVID-denial theories. Now, following a diagnosis of a heart condition said to be an after-effect of someone who has contracted COVID, his playing days might be over.
Article content
According to protocols for unvaccinated players, Archibald was in a 14-day quarantine after travelling from the U.S, when he started feeling unwell. Archibald, 28, went for a battery of medical tests and doctors discovered he had COVID antibodies and myocarditis. It is suspected that Archibald had come down with COVID during the summer and myocarditis is a known after-effect of the virus.
Myocarditis can lead to cardiac arrest and possible death with the heart rate increasing through exertion.
“The back half of the 14-day quarantine Arch wasn’t feeling well and got a severe viral infection,” said Edmonton Oilers coach Dave Tippett. “He tried to skate a few days, they did a bunch of tests and the tests showed at some point he had contracted COVID. He got a bunch of blood work done and he’s been diagnosed with the myocarditis. He’s having a CT scan and an MRI this week. He’s out indefinitely until we figure out where we are at.”
During the pandemic, Archibald made his views about COVID known on social media, tweeting out COVID-denial information.
The diagnosis of myocarditis puts his career in serious jeopardy.
The Edmonton Journal reported that Archibald had no symptoms when he left the team after playoffs, but testing found he has the antibodies now.
“So at some point he got Covid,” said Tippett.
The Edmonton Oilers organization had attempted to get Archibald to change his mind about getting a vaccine. General manager Ken Holland and Tippett had talked to him before training camp opened and laid out the penalty for being unvaxxed: He would have to quarantine for two weeks every time he came back from a U.S. road trip and he could miss 30 or more games because of it and lose his salary.
Archibald had one year left on his contract at $1.5 million salary.
The NHL says 90 to 95 per cent of their players will be vaccinated by the start of the season Oct. 12, but there might still be a few who refuse. If an unvaccinated player tests positive for COVID, they will be suspended without pay.
Other professional sports leagues are also navigating the vaccine playing field. Andrew Wiggins, the Canadian basketball star, had originally refused to get vaccinated and faced the prospect of not being allowed into his Golden State Warrior team’s stadium building in San Francisco. Proof of vaccination is required for large indoor events there. The Toronto-area native has since received his COVID-19 vaccine and is eligible to play in all games.
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