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Covid vaccine stalemate between $650k star and Storm ends as club confirms NAS’ return
The Melbourne Storm have confirmed superstar forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona has returned to training following a months-long saga over his vaccination status.
Asofa-Solomona was supposed to return to pre-season training in December but couldn’t because Victoria’s Covid rules ban unvaccinated professional athletes from using team facilities.
The Daniel Andrews government announced last year that all essential workers, including professional athletes, must have had two shots of a Covid-19 vaccine by November 26 in order to work in Victoria.
Asofa-Solomona, 25, was vocal on social media in his stance against mandating the vaccine but his standoff with his club has come to an end.
“Front line nurses speaking out. Ask the question, why are they willing to lose their job to not get the juice? What are they seeing that we don’t see,” Asofa-Solomona posted on his Instagram story in November.
However, the Storm confirmed on Thursday that Asofa-Solomona had returned to training after providing the “necessary and information and certification to comply with the requirements of the Victorian and Queensland governments to allow him to return for training and to play.”
The club did not reveal whether he had received the vaccination or not.
“It is great to have Nelson back at the club and back with his teammates,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said.
“It has been a slightly interrupted build up for Nelson but importantly he has been completing his own individual training program over the last few months away from the club.”
“He has returned to training in good shape, and we are confident he will be ready for selection ahead of Round 1 of the season.”
It comes after teammate Brandon Smith posted an image on social media on Thursday morning of Asofa-Solomona arriving at training.
Asofa-Solomona is contracted until the end of 2023 — on around $650,000 a season.
It looked like Asofa-Solomona was set to part ways with the club but he’s been cleared by authorities to resume training at AAMI Park.
His return is a huge relief for Craig Bellamy’s side, with brothers Jesse and Kenny Bromwich defecting to the Dolphins in 2023.
www.foxsports.com.au
The Melbourne Storm have confirmed superstar forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona has returned to training following a months-long saga over his vaccination status.
Asofa-Solomona was supposed to return to pre-season training in December but couldn’t because Victoria’s Covid rules ban unvaccinated professional athletes from using team facilities.
The Daniel Andrews government announced last year that all essential workers, including professional athletes, must have had two shots of a Covid-19 vaccine by November 26 in order to work in Victoria.
Asofa-Solomona, 25, was vocal on social media in his stance against mandating the vaccine but his standoff with his club has come to an end.
“Front line nurses speaking out. Ask the question, why are they willing to lose their job to not get the juice? What are they seeing that we don’t see,” Asofa-Solomona posted on his Instagram story in November.
However, the Storm confirmed on Thursday that Asofa-Solomona had returned to training after providing the “necessary and information and certification to comply with the requirements of the Victorian and Queensland governments to allow him to return for training and to play.”
The club did not reveal whether he had received the vaccination or not.
“It is great to have Nelson back at the club and back with his teammates,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said.
“It has been a slightly interrupted build up for Nelson but importantly he has been completing his own individual training program over the last few months away from the club.”
“He has returned to training in good shape, and we are confident he will be ready for selection ahead of Round 1 of the season.”
It comes after teammate Brandon Smith posted an image on social media on Thursday morning of Asofa-Solomona arriving at training.
Asofa-Solomona is contracted until the end of 2023 — on around $650,000 a season.
It looked like Asofa-Solomona was set to part ways with the club but he’s been cleared by authorities to resume training at AAMI Park.
His return is a huge relief for Craig Bellamy’s side, with brothers Jesse and Kenny Bromwich defecting to the Dolphins in 2023.
Covid vaccine stalemate between $650k star and Storm ends as club confirms NAS’ return
Covid vaccine stalemate between $650k star and Storm ends as club confirms NAS’ return
www.foxsports.com.au
