League finally comes down on Levingston
ONE-GAME SUSPENSION ‘We just don’t react willy- nilly,’ CFL vice-president says
Toronto Argonauts kick returner Bashir Levingston has been handed a one-game suspension by the Canadian Football League for hurling his helmet at a fan two weeks ago, but he might not miss a play if an appeal launched on his behalf is successful.
The incident occurred in the moments following Toronto’s Labour Day loss to Hamilton at Ivor Wynne Stadium, and the delay from league office in punishing the player “surprised” TigerCats owner Bob Young while raising questions about the CFL’s official review process in matters of player discipline.
Levingston admitted he threw his helmet into the stands, but claimed it was in reaction to being spit on by one abusive Hamilton fan. The 28-year-old player also admitted the throw missed his intended target and struck an innocent bystander. Hamilton police looked into the matter, but ended their investigation when the fan who was hit declined to press charges.
Levingston apologized for his conduct, was fined an undisclosed amount by the team and was allowed to play in Toronto’s next game. The commissioner’s office remained silent on the issue until yesterday.
“The league is fully aware of the incident and the issues,” Young said on Saturday. “ And I’m just surprised by the lack of response.”
Ed Chalupka, the CFL’s senior vice-president, football operations, said the Argos were notified of Levingston’s punishment “some time last week.”
“It’s getting the information, simple as that,” Chalupka said of the delay. “ We just don’t react willy-nilly. Once we had all the information, a decision was rendered immediately.”
But the decision might not stick. Under the league’s constitution, punished players have seven days to apply for a hearing to appeal their sentence.
Toronto general manager Adam Rita declined comment yesterday, as did Levingston.
“ As far as we’re concerned, the process is still ongoing,” Argos spokesman Eric Holmes said. “ And we’re not prepared to comment on it until a judgement’s been reached, and until Bashir’s had an opportunity to seek out his different avenues.”
It is not clear if a hearing has already been scheduled.
The CFL’s review process begins when head office is notified of an event from a referee’s report, a television clip or a phone call from a team or fan. The investigation continues when three men in football operations interview witnesses and watch any available footage. Ultimately, a recommendation is made to commissioner Tom Wright, who makes the final decision on any punishment.
The two-week delay in Levingston’s case rubbed some the wrong way, particularly because he was in the lineup when Toronto played Hamilton again five days after the incident.
“It’s tough, because each team has their own circumstances that they have to deal with,” Hamilton interim general manager Rob Katz said last week. “I can tell you that if a Hamilton Tiger-Cats player threw his helmet into the stands, he would be suspended [by the team]. Why or why not — he wasn’t suspended by the Argonauts — I don’t know.”
Toronto contends its players weren’t properly protected from fans during the often-emotional Labour Day game. Argos receiver Robert Baker was accosted by a fan on the field, and abuse was showered on a number of players as they entered the visitors dressing room, which is right below the cheap seats in one end zone.
“I expected them to say whatever, maybe throw water, beer, whatever,” Levingston said the next day. “I expect that when we go to Hamilton. But being spit on, I don’t expect that nowhere. I expect everybody to have a little more decency, not to spit on players. But unfortunately, somebody did and I handled it the wrong way.”
“ We did not expect our fans to behave in such an unacceptable manner,” Young said. “In future, we will be prepared for it and it will not happen again.”