TORONTO — An independent arbitrator has upheld the Canadian Football League’s indefinite suspension of defensive lineman Shawn Lemon for wagering on CFL games, including one in which he played.
The result was expected but took longer than expected.
Yyyoooouuurrrr’eee outa here!!
Enjoy retirement
Kind of a no brainer. I’m glad that the correct result was reached. There is simply no other decision possible or precedent that says otherwise. Betting on games your team is involved in results in an automatic life time ban. It is known. Kudos to the arbitrator for not making the CFL look bush.
Second retirement or re-retirement. Does that mean he eats two CFL pensions? $20
Yes that’s the one thing that is unforgivable. Betting on something you can control the results of.
Probably means he forfeits his pension and all his benefits as well.
Probably not, as most pension schemes in Canada are employee contributed. You can’t take away money that you have paid into.
Yeah I can’t see his pension being lost, or at least his own contributions. He could possibly lose league contributions to his pension, if any.
I would hope this disqualifies him from any HOF consideration and it should.
I would even like to see him return his Grey Cup ring like disqualified after the fact Olympic athletes are asked to return their medals, but I doubt that will happen.
I asked my smart-ass CFL bot about this…
If a current CFL (Canadian Football League) player is suspended, and then he retires while suspended, is he still eligible for the pension and benefits if he was entitled to them previous to his suspension? In other words, does his suspension at the end of his career before he retires negate his existing CFLPA pension and benefits entitlement?
I need to have a word with it about using Reddit as a source tho… 
Shawn Lemon is now officially and indefinitely suspended for sports betting yet we have Chad Kelly (a complete disgrace) and sexual harasser playing football for the Argos after a tap on the wrist suspension. I invite anyone who is interested to read an interesting story I found link provided below.
They can’t take the employees portion but keep the employer’s portion
Now I have to wonder if the CFL pension matter for the employer portion would stick around on Lemon’s legal plate, which in turn he would have in the US if he did not declare the right income from any gambling winnings, even outside the US, and/or did not report gambling losses accurately for purposes to offset any such winnings.
I would certainly hope he would not lose his pension
Does Shawn have a family?
We don’t pay taxes in Canada…
“gambling winnings are not taxable in Canada unless the player is deemed professional, or the player is earning income on the winnings. This applies to both online gambling and offline gambling.”
In other words our Money isn’t worth enough to bother taxing it. 
Aye but to be clear, citizens of the US can pay taxes on any income worldwide.
At minimum whether or not subject to tax, all income earned or otherwise must be reported and if it is not, well then there are penalties and/or fines too.
Perhaps in this example, it would be an easy red flag for the Internal Revenue Service when a US taxpayer is reported to have gambled outside the US and won money, yet there is nothing claimed on a tax return for gambling income.
Now of course overwhelmingly the IRS does not bother with the small change won unless there is other undeclared income, but for higher profile taxpayers, you bet they do.
If a Canadian wins while gaming in the US above a certain amount, (unsure of the amount) we have to pay taxes to the IRS before we depart.
Also it sucks that the amount withheld may be more than one actually owes, and then the winner has to file a return in the US in order to get a refund of any amount overpaid.
Normally it’s not worth the bother lest the Canadian or other foreign visitor winning at the casino already has other income to report in the US, or perhaps a large jackpot was hit.
Shawn Lemon was a first time offender. He has a clean record in the CFL. Gambling is an addiction just the same as alcoholism and drug addiction. Players caught breaking these rules are given a second chance and counselling. I believe that no person should have their livelihood taken from them without a second chance, counselling and monitoring. The CFL has failed Shawn Lemon.
One key part of your argument that does not hold water is that though he could be a gambling addict, there is nothing that forces a gambling addict to bet on his own sport, team, league, or game.
That was fully Lemon’s choice, and he did so knowingly with an edge so that he would have a better chance to win than non-players, and now he’s gone for good, so face up to that.
It has happened to me twice just as I was leaving Vegas. I won $1,000 both times and believe they took 30%. The last time was in 2010 so it could be changed now.
But you are right. After a couple of inquiries to our firm accountants at the time and a few replies telling me it was a difficult procedure they weren’t even sure of and an attempt to contact the US number on my tax slip that went unanswered, I just left it. A bit of a racket I would say. The US government knows most foreigners will never follow up. Free income for them. The IRS must love casinos.
Cheese and Rice…STOP defending the guilty just, JUST because he plays for Montreal. That is not a defense. Speeding in a car, in the city is illegal, points on your license, driving cautiously while .09 alcohol is a six months suspension. I’m in favour of strick alcohol rules. But for a adult .09 is 1 sip over a beer.
Speeding in the city is likely more dangerous in reality, probably not by perception.
Don’t rag on me as I’m not in favor of either…just an example