CFL fines, penalizes Riders for roster violations
The CFL lowered the boom on the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday.
The league fined the Roughriders $60,000 and deducted more than $26,000 from the team’s $5.1-million salary cap in 2016 after determining Saskatchewan was guilty of roster violations.
In a statement released late Thursday afternoon, the CFL said the decision was made after league officials “completed a thorough investigation” of recent personnel moves by the Roughriders. The investigation, which included visits to Saskatchewan’s practices, spanned several weeks.
“After a review of the findings, it has been determined that the Saskatchewan Roughriders were in violation of policies which prohibit practising with ineligible players, players participating in practice who are on the six-game injured list and having free agents practise with players who are under contract,” the statement read. “Each of these actions constitute a violation of CFL bylaws.”
The media release also included a statement from commissioner Jeffrey Orridge, who said he was acting to protect “the competitive balance within our league, the spirit of our rules and the integrity of our game.
“The recent conduct, behaviour and activities of the Saskatchewan Roughriders have compromised the reputation of the CFL.”
A Roughriders official said head coach-general manager Chris Jones would address the league’s ruling Friday.
Saskatchewan has been working out players after practice all season, and Jones said Wednesday that the league had contacted the team about those workouts. But Jones defended the Roughriders’ actions and said the club wasn’t breaking any rules.
On Thursday, Justin Dunk of 3downnation.com reported that sources said the Roughriders have two houses where the extra players were living and that the players were being paid by the team. Those allegations would constitute a contravention of the CFL’s salary cap.
In a later story, Dunk reported that the league had ordered the Roughriders to send home some of the non-roster players.
The controversy erupted Tuesday after a tweet by Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.
After the Roughriders announced some transactions, Mitchell tweeted, “I bet none of the people they signed needed flights” — insinuating the players already were in Saskatchewan’s camp.
Jones addressed the issue after Wednesday’s practice, but squelched discussion on the matter Thursday before it could begin.
“Before we start, I’m not answering any questions concerning anything in our personnel department,” he said to open his post-practice media briefing. “I’ll answer questions about our game, but that’s it.”
The only non-football issue he addressed was the Roughriders’ new policy that requires all spectators attending practice to sign in and show photo ID.
The fact that the policy was instituted shortly after Mitchell’s tweet apparently is just a coincidence. The Riders took the step because, they believe, information was leaked to the Ottawa Redblacks before their game at Mosaic Stadium on July 22.
“Somehow (the Redblacks) knew who we were throwing the football to on particular plays,” said Jones, whose team won that game 30-29, “so we’ve got a process in place now to at least try to find out who’s present here at practice.”
For their part, the Roughriders’ players have been trying to focus on Saturday’s game against the visiting Stampeders and not the off-field issues.
“Show up to work and do what we do every day,” linebacker Greg Jones said when asked how the players handle such a distraction. “It doesn’t matter what happens or what’s said in the media.” Extra points: Receiver Nic Demski, who was injured when he crashed into a sideline board during Wednesday’s practice, wasn’t on the field Thursday. Jones said that Demski was held out of practice as a precaution and that he will play Saturday ... The CFL announced Thursday that Roughriders defensive end Justin Capicciotti had been fined an undisclosed amount for a dangerous tackle on Montreal Alouettes running back Jean-Christophe Beaulieu in a game July 29.