WIPA not pressuring players to take COVID-19 vaccine

… keeping eye on security concerns ahead of Pakistan tour KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – The West Indies Players Association (WIPA) will neither be insisting on nor discouraging members from taking the COVID-19 vaccine, even as Cricket West Indies (CWI) continues to get the region’s youth, women’s and men’s players vaccinated. President and CEO Wavell Hinds said each member should make their individual decision on the matter. “Each human being is made up different. I don’t know if persons have comorbidities and other [things] that would affect them, so they would have to speak to the medical experts, their physicians and their personal general practitioners and see where it goes and if it is healthy and good for them to take, I’m sure that they will speak to their doctor,” he told Television Jamaica. “But I’m not a medical doctor so I don’t think it is my duty to tell somebody what they should do or shouldn’t do.” Hinds also spoke about possible security concerns over the West Indies tour of Pakistan in December. New Zealand abandoned its tour to the south Asian country earlier this month, citing security concerns, and England withdrew last week from sending their men’s and women’s teams there for similar reasons. Hinds said WIPA is gathering information to help protect its members who have concerns. “What we have done so far is to reach out to our counterparts in New Zealand and in England – the New Zealand Cricket Association and the Professional Cricket Association in England – and I reached out as well to some of my colleagues that sit on the FICA Board with me,” he said, adding a security report from Pakistan will also be needed. Last week, CWI chief executive officer Johnny Grave said that CWI is planning to fulfil its tour commitments with all countries, including Pakistan. West Indies are scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Pakistan.