Gonzaga University has suspended season tickets for one of its most notable alumni and Hall of Fame basketball player, John Stockton, after he refused to comply with the school's masked mandate at games, he told The Spokesman in Washington. Said in an interview with Review.
The former Utah Jazz point guard confirmed that the school suspended his tickets in an interview on Saturday.
"Basically, it came down to it, they were asking me to wear a mask to the Games and being a public figure, someone was a little more visible, I got stuck in the crowd a little bit," Stockton said. . "And so they got complaints and they thought whatever was from the higher-ups — they weren't discussed, but whatever was above — they either had to tell me to wear a mask or they were going to Suspend my ticket."
Stockton told Spokesperson-Review that he and the school had been "discussing about various COVID things for a few years."
According to Spokesperson-Review, Stockton has been vocal about his feelings against COVID-19 vaccines, lockdowns and mask mandates. He previously expressed his views in the documentary "Covid and the Vaccine: Truth, Lies and Misconception Revealed", which includes remarks from doctors known for spreading misinformation.
In documentary interviews, Stockton suggests that more than 100 professional athletes have died due to vaccination, yet there is no evidence to support such a claim.
"I think it's over-recorded, now 150, I believe it's over 100 professional athletes dead - professional athletes - prime of their lives, leaving the vaccinated dead, Right on the pitch, right on the field, right on the court," Stockton said in the documentary interview.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, serious adverse events following a COVID-19 vaccine are rare. Health care workers are required to report post-vaccination deaths, even if it is not clear whether the cause was the vaccine. Such reports are also rare, the CDC says, and all reported deaths are reviewed for possible links to the vaccine.
"Vaccines cause 20,000 deaths, which the CDC acknowledges from their (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System), which they acknowledge accounts for only 1% of the actual. So the actual number is much higher than that, but that's it. ’ really ready to accept,” Stockton said in an extended interview with Spokesperson-Review. "They shut down the previous vaccine system for 25 deaths and we're again up to 20,000 more than what they've accepted. More than a million injured."
Reports to the CDC's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VARS) are voluntary -- anyone can submit one -- and a report does not necessarily mean that a vaccine has described an adverse event. The CDC notes that reports may be inaccurate, coincidental or unverified. The CDC and the US Food and Drug Administration use VARS to look for patterns that require more investigation.
"Gonzaga University is working hard to implement and enforce health and safety protocols mandated by state and university policy, including strengthening the indoor masking requirement," the school said in a statement on Sunday.
"Participants in basketball games are required to wear face masks at all times," the school's statement continued. “We will not discuss specific actions taken with any specific individual. We take COVID-19 health and safety protocols seriously and will continue to evaluate how we can reduce the risks posed by COVID-19 with appropriate measures.” The recent decision to suspend concessions at McCarthy Athletic Center is an example of this approach. Gonzaga University makes protecting the health and safety of students, staff and the community a top priority."
According to Gonzaga's website, participation in domestic athletic events requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event.
Stockton said in a spokesperson-review interview that his relationship with the school was not permanently broken, but "suggested that it may take time to recover."
"I think that definitely emphasizes it [the relationship with Gonzaga]. I'm very attached to the school," Stockton said. "I've been a part of this complex since I was probably 5 or 6 years old. I was just born a few blocks away and sold programs by hitting the gym and going to sports since I was a little boy. So, it was stressful. But it's not broken, and I'm sure we'll get over it, but it's not without some struggle."
Stockton was ousted from Gonzaga in the 1984 NBA draft and played 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz. A point guard, Stockton holds the single-season record for assists, according to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame website. Stockton was also part of the 1992 USA Men's "Dream Team" that won the gold medal, and he won the gold medal again in 1996.