Another step has been taken by the Canadian Football League, and by the Canadian Football League Players Association, today to clean up some legal loose ends. The kind that could potentially have blown up in the face of both organizations. Jeffrey Orridge and Scott Flory agree to level the playing field for draft eligible players trying to enter the league. Statements were made on both sides.
“We are taking these important steps today to ensure that there is a level playing field for all athletes entering the CFL,” said Orridge, CFL Commissioner. “We are also hopeful that the CFLPA can continue to work with us to establish a new drug testing program for all CFL players that is meaningful and effective.”
“The CFLPA takes the total health and safety of our members very seriously and we are eager to continue progressive discussions,” said Flory, CFLPA President. “A policy to prevent and deter the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs is seen as one of the critical components of the overall health and safety of players.”
You likely recall a move made by Orridge recently that clarifies a new coaching movement policy. The scenario that arose last December, that had coaches and teams playing musical chairs with little rhyme or reason, will never happen again thanks to the policies now in place.
The New Policy
Today’s Actions As Outlined By The League:
- An individual who incurs an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP) or who tests positive for a substance banned under the CFL drug policy in the year of his CFL Draft, or the immediate year prior to his CFL Draft, will have his Draft year deferred for one year.
- An individual who, having gone through the CFL Draft, whether drafted or undrafted, subsequently incurs an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the CADP or who tests positive for a substance banned under the CFL drug policy, would be ineligible to sign a contract with a CFL team for one (1) calendar year after the individual tests positive or incurs an anti-doping rule violation as referenced above.
- An individual who is ineligible for the CFL Draft (i.e. Canadian Junior Football League player or International Canadian Interuniversity Sport, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Football League player or any other athlete from another sport) and who incurs an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the CADP or pursuant to any other drug testing program or who tests positive for a substance banned under the CFL drug policy, would be ineligible to sign a contract with a CFL team for one (1) calendar year after the individual tests positive or incurs an anti-doping rule violation as referenced above.
For more information on these changes, click here.
The Impact And What’s Next
In a nutshell, the message is — if you use performance enhancing drugs, you can count on forfeiting a year of your CFL career should you be caught.
That would have affected recent notable draftee wide receivers, Melvin Abankwah (drafted by the Riders) and Matt Norzill (drafted by the Argos and now with the Stamps). Both were caught at last years CFL combines where PED testing is the norm.
Abankwah tested positive for methandienone, which is an orally active anabolic steroid. Norzil tested positive for SARMS S-22, which is a class of androgen receptor ligands. ARLs are intended to have the same kind of effects as androgenic drugs like anabolic steroids.
Both of these players would have faced a year of ineligibility for the Canadian draft as they were caught prior to the draft and allowed to participate. There was no way to keep them from doing so devoid of a league policy. Now there is.
When will the CFL address narcotics and international players who have been busted for either PEDs or recreational drugs? There are no dates to confirm but today’s actions are an indication that all potentially embarrassing scenarios for both organizations are being dealt with one by one as a priority. One only has to look to last year’s addition of Josh Gordon, wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns, to Calgary’s negotiation list. You’ll see the controversy that remains a threat to the league and players association.
Gordon served a reduced suspension of eight games in 2014 for violating the NFL drug policy when he was arrested in possession of marijuana. He then played out the year only to be suspended again in 2015 for violating his parole with alcohol. Something has to be done on this front now and now it seems it won’t be long.
