Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

The Canadian government made it official Monday: No more COVID-19 vaccine mandate for international visitors — including athletes — beginning Oct. 1.

Just in time for the beginning of the NHL and NBA seasons, and the Major League Baseball playoffs, should the Toronto Blue Jays qualify.

The requirement prevented unvaccinated players in the major North American sports leagues from competing in games at Toronto and other Canadian cities.

When the Raptors played host to the 76ers in the playoffs in April, Philadelphia guard Matisse Thybulle had to skip the trips to Toronto.

Few NHL players missed games in Canada as almost all of the league’s players were vaccinated last year.

In Major League Baseball, however, ahead of almost every Toronto Blue Jays home series, the visiting team released a list of players it was placing on the restricted list as they would be unable to travel north of the border. The issue peaked when the Kansas City Royals were without 10 players for a mid-July series.

The Blue Jays currently hold the No. 1 wild-card spot in the American League. The Jays host the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 30-Oct. 2.

–Field Level Media