CFL unveils new Discipline/Player Safety plan

[zbest]

@"CFL"

CFL SETS NEW PLAYER SAFETY STANDARDS

“We have a profound responsibility to safeguard the safety of the young men who play our wonderful but tough game.” – Commissioner Mark Cohon

Toronto, ON - (October 2, 2008) - To protect player safety, the Canadian Football League is setting a tough new standard that includes mandatory suspensions.

“We have a profound responsibility to safeguard the safety of the young men who play our wonderful but tough game, and this action is all about fulfilling that responsibility,” said CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon.

From now on, any illegal act that creates a substantial and unnecessary risk of injury to an opposing player will be subject to a mandatory suspension.

Examples of illegal acts that will be deemed to create a substantial and unnecessary risk of injury to an opposing player include the following:

spearing to the helmet or facemask of an opposing player outside of the acceptable standards of play
throwing a helmet in a reckless and dangerous manner
violently kicking, punching, kneeing, or stomping an opponent who is in a defenseless position.

“By setting this new standard, we are striving to give players clear, advance and fair warning of the penalties that they will face for acts that have no place in our game,” Cohon said.

Under the current disciplinary system, this will provide an arbitrator with a new and important standard to consider.

“It’s time we reset the bar for the benefit of the players, the fans and those who administer our disciplinary system,” said Michael Copeland, the CFL’s Chief Operating Officer.

“We are always open to working with the players association on all issues of importance to our league. And we have been working with them on this issue,” Cohon said.

“Unfortunately, we have not been able to achieve a joint resolution. So we are acting unilaterally today because we feel that it’s in the best interests of our players, and our league, to do so.”

The new standard is in effect immediately and will apply to this weekend’s games.

[AriusReturns]

Good!!!

[ro1313]

X-celent

[papazoola]

....great to hear... and i hope it's successful ...As for the recent incident..(hit on Glenn)...it's a little like 'closing the barn door after the horse has headed up the track" ... but better now ,than procrastinating forever on player/discipline and safety... :thup:

[HfxTC]

They've put it in the rulebooks. So automatic suspension but player will probably still receive his pay. Works for me. It would be wise for the CFLPA to negotiate something because I can't read any maximum in the CFL press release. Looks like it could be whatever the league decides.

[disciplineandpunish]

Good stuff, albeit a week too late for Kevin Glenn. Players need to be protected in this league, especially for later on in life when those hits to the head can lead to long-term health problems.

[Sportsmen]

Thats Great!

Until the next suspension and the CFLPA has a home town Judge with season tickets be the Arbitrator. Sorry for being so cynical, But I'll do my cart wheels after one of those suspensions actually stick.

[ridrfan1]

Pretty good new disciplinary measures by the league.
"Under the new standard, acts such as spearing to the head, helmet-throwing in a reckless manner, kicking, punching, kneeing and stomping on a defenceless player will now be met with a mandatory suspension."

[Chief]

See, now if the league had brought this out before the hit on Glenn, I'd fine with a suspension. This is what the league had to do. If they had tried to suspend AB, it would have been overtuned because of precedent. But now if a player goes to an arbitrator, the judge can't just look at precedent now, he also has to recognize this. Excellent move by the league.

[dariderfan]

The timing for this new rule is convenient for Edmonton (Barranechea). Rule should either apply to last week's hit, or not be implemented till next season!

[geroy_simon_081]

Good job by the league. If something needs changing then do it, and that’s what they did.

[boonedock82]

Hope it lasts. If it is brought to arbitration and shot down it will set a precedent just like it did last time.

Hope it works I really do.

[Chief]

If it's a justified suspension and the arbitrator stills shoots it down, then I'd say it's time to start looking for a different kind of arbitrator.

[Dust]

Great news! Basically what the press release tells me is that the CFLPA is not cooperating with the CFL quick enough for their liking. I'd love to see the next step be the ability to lay out multiple game suspensions for hits like the one by Jiminez last year.

[SwervinMervin]

Here go the grumpriders fans taking a piece of news and twsiting into a slam against BC. Somehow Jiminez's phantom hit enters the discussion?

Could you at least use an example that was caught on film and everyone could agree as to the seriousness to hand out a mutligame suspension?

[Chief]

One fan brought up an incident involving a B.C. player. But I did notice you attacked Riders fans. Kind of hypocritical to do something you accused another of doing, no?

[boonedock82]

@"SwervinMervin"

Here go the grumpriders fans taking a piece of news and twsiting into a slam against BC. Somehow Jiminez's phantom hit enters the discussion?

Could you at least use an example that was caught on film and everyone could agree as to the seriousness to hand out a mutligame suspension?

Dude seriously are you insinuation that Jimenez didn't end Gargulio's career??????? There wasn't enough video evidence to hold up to legal standards, doesn't mean it didn't happen. It would be like a Rider fan beaning you in the head with a beer can in a dark alley and no one saw it, there is no evidence but it doesn't mean it didn't happen (I could have been meaner here, and talked about the east indian guys that recently beat up a gay guy for being gay in Vancouvers west side, but instead I chose to make fun of my own fans and not ....... never mind)

[geroy_simon_081]

@"Dust"

Great news! Basically what the press release tells me is that the CFLPA is not cooperating with the CFL quick enough for their liking. I'd love to see the next step be the ability to lay out multiple game suspensions for hits like the one by Jiminez last year.

We're not allowed to talk about things which happen during play after the game has concluded, silly.

Or is this just in certain cases? I'm confused.

[ro1313]

@"SwervinMervin"

Here go the grumpriders fans taking a piece of news and twsiting into a slam against BC. Somehow Jiminez's phantom hit enters the discussion?

Could you at least use an example that was caught on film and everyone could agree as to the seriousness to hand out a mutligame suspension?

How was it a phantom hit when he was penalized AND SUSPENDED for it?

The fact that an arbitrator didnt agree that it warented a suspended doesnt make it a phantom hit!

And can we put an end to the childish namecalling

[Tridus]

@"Dust"

Great news! Basically what the press release tells me is that the CFLPA is not cooperating with the CFL quick enough for their liking. I'd love to see the next step be the ability to lay out multiple game suspensions for hits like the one by Jiminez last year.

The CFLPA has been getting slammed (rightfully so) all week over this. The head of the PA sounds defensive anytime he talks now, because the PA is protecting dangerous players from suspensions, rather then everybody else from the dangerous players.

Watching them try to twist themselves in order to justify this joke of an appeals process has been really something.

Anyway, good move by the league. They're doing their job, even if the PA would rather pretend dirty plays don't happen.