CFL hits Argonauts QB Chad Kelly with minimum nine game ban

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After initially dragging its ft on the Chad Kelly sexual harassment accusations, the CFL on Tuesday got here down laborious on the Toronto Argonauts star quarterback.

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Commissioner Randy Ambrosie has suspended Kelly for at the least half the 2024 season – and it might be longer if Kelly doesn’t satisfactorily full necessary counselling and assessments by an impartial knowledgeable.

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That removes the reigning Most Excellent Participant Award winner from the league’s prime regular-season group final 12 months.

Ambrosie issued a press release saying that investigation discovered Kelly “unequivocally violated” the league’s gender-based violence coverage.

“Gamers are the ambassadors of our nice sport,” Ambrosie stated within the assertion. “They’re anticipated to be leaders within the locker room and function fashions locally. Mr. Kelly’s suspension is the direct results of his behaviour. The addition of necessary counselling focuses on his want for self-reflection and understanding of his actions.

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“He should take full benefit of this chance for private betterment to be able to return to the CFL.”

Ambrosie says he’ll additionally speak to Toronto administration about its dealing with of the problem.

Again in February, a former power coach for the Argonauts filed a lawsuit accusing Kelly of repeated sexual harassment.

The coach says group administration didn’t take her criticism severely and he or she was let go in January for reporting it.

The league’s coverage on violence towards ladies has been in place for practically a decade, and requires motion after any report of violence involving an worker.

Within the lawsuit, the girl says she reported the harassment to Argos administration, solely to be informed she’d needlessly opened “a can of worms.”

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The previous coach alleges Kelly repeatedly made advances during the last two seasons, finally changing into aggressive and yelling derogatory issues at her in entrance of others, even cursing her identify within the quarterback assembly room.

A full week after the lawsuit grew to become public, Ambrosie issued a press release saying the league had opened its personal investigation.

The gradual preliminary response drew criticism final month from former B.C. Lions star quarterback Nathan Rourke, pursuing a job within the NFL.

Some league workers reportedly walked away from their jobs after their issues weren’t taken severely.

Argos GM Michael “Pinball” Clemons stated on the CFL mix in Winnipeg in March the group was nonetheless planning to have Kelly as its beginning quarterback.

Lower than two hours after the CFL introduced the suspension, the group launched a press release saying it “will respectfully abide by” the league’s determination.

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