Former NBA champion Andrew Bogut has claimed that he was approached to produce pro-lockdown propaganda in Australia and said that athletes throughout the country have “been muzzled” and told to keep quiet about the authoritarian coronavirus measures imposed in Australia.
Bogut, who won the NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015, said that athletes and influencers in his native Australia are being paid off to promote lockdowns, which he said are disproportionately impacting the working class.
“Athletes on contract in our biggest leagues in Australia… they’ve been told you are not to make anti-lockdown, anti-government statements on social media, period, no matter how drastic they are, because it affects our league staying open and you getting a salary,” Bogut said on Saturday in a post on Instagram.
“That’s why these people aren’t batting for you.”
Bogut revealed that he was personally approached to join in on the government’s propaganda efforts, saying: “Last year, about three or four months into this pandemic, I got a message from somebody. I’m not going to name who it was or where it came from. I got offered money to put out a public service announcement, for you everyday plebs to stay home. It would have been something like this: ‘Hi I’m Andrew Bogut … it’s your duty to stay home. Do the right thing for the community’.”
The Australian basketball legend said that he didn’t feel comfortable spreading the message, as the lockdown restrictions didn’t impact rich athletes like himself, who have been given special dispensation to continue working, while ordinary citizens are locked at home.
“I refuse to do that shit,” he said.
“Put two and two together. Why do you think a lot of these people haven’t put these messages out? Why do you think people put contra messages out saying, ‘Do the right thing. Don’t do this, don’t do that. You’ve got to stay home. You’re not essential, I am’.
“They’re getting paid for that shit for the most part,” the former Olympian said.
“This isn’t a left vs right and you people that are on team politics, either side, left or right, you’re missing the point,” Bogut said, adding: “You’re being divided, you’re being tallied up against each other, right.
“But you athletes and you influencers that have all these sponsors and marketers behind you pushing promos to the plebs that buy your shit, where’s your voice? Why aren’t any of you speaking up?
“The very people that buy your fucking deodorants and your moisturisers and your candles and your Nike shoes, whatever it is — the very people that buy that are the ones that are most affected by this shit.
“Imagine being told you’re not essential to go to work and make money for your family.
“The people that are labourers and out in the public and in the workforce and out on the road all day, they’re deemed not essential? Nah, I’m not rolling.”
In a separate video released on Sunday, Bogut called on the government, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take a fifty per cent pay cut during the lockdown to prove that everyone is “in this together”.
“If they had some skin in the game I think their message becomes more acceptable and comes with a lot more vigour,” he said.
“[Scott Morrison], take a damn pay cut because you definitely need to take one.”
Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka