Players warned by CFLPA to be cautious while working out
Christina Feist was on the outside looking in on what was supposed to be the opening day of the Saskatchewan Roughriders' main training camp on Sunday.
The longtime Riders' fan spent time peering through a fence at the University of Saskatchewan's Griffiths Stadium where the team was scheduled to train, now empty because of the strike initiated by the CFL Players' Association.
“I'm so disappointed because I had looked forward to this for months,” Feist said. “COVID has put a downer on things and now this. I'm definitely on the players' side because they deserve to get a fair wage. They work hard and the CFL players are like nobody else when compared to the NFL and the other leagues.”
Feist did have an opportunity to watch a handful of Riders work out on a grass field adjacent to Griffiths Stadium.
“I really hope that it doesn't take too long. I hope that it only takes a couple of days. From what I hear, they are quite a distance apart, but who knows?”
Brett Lauther is the Riders' placekicker and CFL Players' Association player representative. Lauther advised the players to be cautious while working out.
“We're not technically (medically) covered by the league anymore,” Lauther said. “I warned them to be very careful and not to run any routes full speed.
“They aren't hated here, but they aren't going to get any treatments because the Riders are instructed not to. If they are injured, they will just fly them home and not pay them. They can't take those kind of risks, especially those with families, because they will just cut you and send you home.”
Lauther said the CFLPA is setting up gyms and other facilities so the players can continue to work out during the strike. “We're trying to get things set up so guys can do walk-throughs,” he said.
The Riders are scheduled to play their first pre-season game on May 23 at Mosaic Stadium against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It's believed that the Riders and Blue Bombers would need to be in training camp by Wednesday to be properly prepared for a pre-season game. If not, there is the possibility of pre-season games being rescheduled or cancelled because of the dispute.
“I'm hoping that maybe today or (Monday) each side comes to their senses,” Lauther said. “As players we want to be out there and we want to play. Once you start missing games that are going to be on TSN, that could impact the deal.
“I'm confident that something will get done because no one wants to be in this position. We're a strong veteran group and we're just speaking for ourselves.”
TRANSACTIONS
The Riders announced the signings of two Canadians — fullback Bruno Labelle and long snapper Zach Zynomirski — on Sunday. Labelle was selected in the third round of the 2021 CFL draft (20th overall) by the Riders. He spent most of the 2021 NFL season on the Arizona Cardinals' injured reserve list. Zynomirski spent a portion of the 2021 season with the Calgary Stampeders ... American defensive lineman Ezekiel Rose was released ... American receiver Jamal Custis was placed on the suspended list.