Fine but no suspension: NBA star Harden celebrates in the club without a mask

Fine but not a ban
NBA star Harden celebrates in the club without a mask

NBA superstar James Harden is causing trouble again: Before the season, he skipped the first training sessions, now the basketball player is celebrating in a club – without a face mask. In doing so, he violates the NBA's corona rules and ensures that the game is canceled. But his sentence is mild.

NBA superstar James Harden got himself into trouble with a nightlife break. A video circulated on social media of the Houston Rockets professional basketball player partying at a club without a face mask. The league sentenced Harden to a fine of $ 50,000.

Harden, who wants to leave the Rockets, has violated the Corona code of conduct. The NBA prohibits its players from visiting clubs or bars. Meetings with more than 15 people are also prohibited. The NBA did not ban Harden, who opposed Instagram reports that he had been to a strip club. "It doesn't matter how many times people try to drag my name into the dirt, it doesn't work," wrote Harden. However, he did not address the violations of the Corona rules.

Experts had expected that Harden would not be banned because the NBA needed the superstar for the TV ratings. Due to his misconduct, the Rockets player then contributed to the first game cancellation of the season. The game against Oklahoma City Thunder could not take place on Wednesday (local time) as planned after three corona tests by Rockets players produced a positive or inconclusive result.

With four more Rockets pros in quarantine due to the contact tracing protocol, Harden being excluded for the time being due to the protocol violation and another player missing due to an injury, Houston did not have the required eight players for the game. The league announced this a few hours before the game. A new game date has not yet been set.

There was a similar case in the NFL professional football league. Washington Football Team quarterback Dwayne Haskins has to pay $ 40,000 because he was photographed without a mask – with strippers.

. (tagsToTranslate) Sport (t) NBA (t) USA (t) Basketball (t) Corona crisis