Four years after Shane Warne’s death shook the cricketing world, his son Jackson has claimed that the spin legend’s demise may have been linked to the COVID-19 vaccines he was “forced to take for work.” Warne, widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game, died at the age of 52 in Thailand in 2022 after suffering a heart attack.
Speaking on the ‘2 Worlds Collide’ podcast, Jackson said he believes the vaccines played a role, even as he acknowledged that his father had underlying health issues. “I definitely think that it (COVID vaccine) was involved. I don’t even think saying that is controversial anymore. Even if dad had underlying health issues, I think this brought it out right to the surface and that’s one thing that I’ve always struggled with,” he said.
Jackson revealed that his first reaction after hearing the news of his father’s death was to look for reasons beyond natural causes. “My first impression, as soon as I hung up the phone, I instantly blamed the government. I instantly blamed COVID and the vaccine,” he said, adding that he had to restrain himself from voicing those thoughts publicly during the memorial service.
“It was probably smart I didn’t, I would be in a very different position if I did. But that was how I felt,” he said.
He went on to claim that Warne had taken multiple vaccine doses despite his reluctance. “Yes, a lot of people were dying of heart attacks before. But dad was okay. I think he might have got three or four (vaccine doses). He didn’t want to get them, he was forced to get them for work. He was forced to get them like everybody else,” Jackson said.
At the same time, he admitted that dwelling on such thoughts had been difficult. “I try not to think about it too much because all that does is fester into anger. That anger is not good for anybody,” he added.
Offering a glimpse into his father’s lifestyle, Jackson described Warne as being in good shape in the lead-up to his death. “Dad, at the time, was healthy, he was happy. He looked the best he had in a while. Yes, he smoked and drank, but so many more people in their 80s and 90s still smoke and drink a lot more than dad,” he said.
Warne had contracted COVID-19 a few months before his death during his 2021 coaching stint with The Hundred in England. However, he was not known to have any major ailment at the time of his sudden demise, which continues to be a subject of discussion years later.
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