If you are unwilling to get vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Charles Barkley has no time to accompany you-especially if you are a professional athlete.

The Basketball Hall of Fame member stated on HBO’s “Return to the Record with Bob Costas” program that premiered on Friday night that players who refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine were “selfish.”

Barkley said to Costas: “I think if you participate in sports, it’s really selfish, because first, a lot of people are dead, which is bad.” “But more people, they lost their jobs, They lost their house and their dreams were shattered. All the athletes got paid. I just think it’s too selfish. Think about it. We are the only job in the world. In this world we get paid. Everyone else loses their jobs. Or being fired is the most important thing. But I just think your situation is very good, and it is selfish not to get vaccinated.”

The 76ers legend also called on all professional sports leagues to implement COVID-19 vaccine regulations for players.

“Every job you go to has rules,” Barkley told Costas. “I think vaccinations should be mandatory. If you don’t want to follow the rules at work, you have the right to be fired. You do have the right. But there are some things I can’t do in my job. There are some things you can’t do in your work. I think in all sports, you should be mandatory to get vaccinated. If people don’t like it, they have the right to go away.”

Barkley’s interview with Costas can be streamed online HBO max.

This is not the first time an NBA on TNT analyst has commented on his views on the COVID-19 vaccine.Last April, Barkley Join former President Barack Obama and Basketball Hall of Fame member Shaquille O’Neal In a TV public service advertisement, more black Americans are urged to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Barkley’s remarks come as the debate over whether professional sports leagues should require all athletes to be vaccinated against COVID-19 has intensified. Given the strong unions that represent players, the league’s ability to mandate vaccinations is not easy.

Therefore, professional sports leagues differ in the way they vaccinate players and coaches.

NFL teams COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players If the health and safety regulations are violated, this upcoming season may be forced to abandon the game, face financial penalties and be subject to additional disciplinary action by the league. Worst of all, a cancelled game that cannot be rescheduled means that there are no players to check the game that week.

General Manager Howie Roseman said that more than 90% of the Eagles players have at least started the COVID-19 vaccination process Said last week As the opening of the training camp for the 2021 season. All NFL coaches and staff must be vaccinated unless they have a religious or medical exemption.

The MLB does not mandate vaccinations for players, coaches and staff. However, once 85% of the team’s players, coaches and club staff are fully vaccinated, the league allows the club to enjoy a relaxed COVID-19 health and safety protocol.

But the Phillies Far from reaching the 85% thresholdAccording to reports, nearly half of the team’s active duty list has not been vaccinated.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Said earlier this year Employers can require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to return to the office.

However, the agency stated that any COVID-19 vaccine authorization must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Civil Rights Act, and cited the ADA to require companies to keep certain health information confidential.

EEOC also stated that employers can provide incentives for employees to vaccinate, as long as they are not mandatory.

Local institutions, such as University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Children’s Hospital All employees are required to be fully vaccinated.

At the same time, the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread across the country, leading to an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths among people who have not been vaccinated. The Delta variant has become the main coronavirus variant in the United States.