NRL backs down on compulsory flu shots before season restart

Australia's National Rugby League backed down Thursday on a demand that players undergo compulsory flu vaccinations before playing in a resumed competition, clearing another hurdle in its bid to restart its virus-interrupted season on May 28.

The jabs had been included in strict health protocols agreed by the league in return for clearance to resume play, but several players had refused the injections.

On Thursday, the NRL announced that players could decline the vaccination for "compelling reasons" such as medical, religious or conscientious grounds if they signed a liability waiver acknowledging their heightened risk of contracting influenza.

"Until an NRL-approved release is acknowledged and signed by players, they will not be permitted to train," the league said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear if Australian health authorities had approved the exemptions, after both Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his powerful home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, insisted on a "no ...