Canadian Football League Commissioner Jeffrey L. Orridge issued a statement on Wednesday regarding discipline against Kent Austin, who was involved in an incident with a game official during Week 14 action in Regina:
Respect for officials is a basic tenet of sport. Their impartial participation makes fair competition possible. And their security is paramount. That is why it is absolutely unacceptable for a coach to confront an official and make contact with him, even if that contact was inadvertent and accidental.
For his behaviour in a sideline incident with an on field official during his team’s game on Saturday, Sept. 24, Hamilton Tiger-Cats vice-president of football operations and head coach Kent Austin will be removed from the sidelines for the Tiger-Cats’ next game, this Saturday, Oct. 1. He will be allowed in the spotters’ booth but he will not have the privilege of joining his team on the field or interacting with officials on the field. Furthermore, Coach Austin is fined $10,000. A penalty of this magnitude levied against a coach for an interaction with an official is unprecedented in our league.
Our examination of this situation did not yield a comparable precedent on which to base a decision. That has highlighted for me the need to develop and announce a clear policy that makes crystal clear that there will be zero tolerance of physical contact with officials, whatever its nature, and immediate and serious penalties should such contact occur. That work is now underway.
(CFL Communications)
9 comments:
Oh Come on... I am neither supporting or defending Austin. But the comment of "protecting" Officals. Austion did NOT beat him, he and I would say accidentally as he got close to the ref brushed his hand on him. To say protect officials... OMG!! What a load of BS... If he hit the ref, chest bumped the ref, pushed the ref ok... Fine sure... Allow him in the sideline... CFL Commish you are a joke.
Cory
Cory, you are stupid! Any contact of an official no matter the sport can not be tolerated.
What is a joke is the fact Austin isn't being suspended. What tools won't he have in the spotters box that he has on the sidelines. Face to face contact and that's it. Now an assistant will just be a mouthpiece.
Ryan
Ooooooooo!!!! Way to send a message Jeff!
Cory, are you serious? Are you actually advocating a football player or coach having contact with an official? Officials have a job to do, and while they do it poorly in the CFL, you can not allow players or coaches to bump or in this case slap an official.
I am not advocating hitting an official, even poor CFL officials. I see the Austin contact as an accident. I do not believe he intended to make contact with the official. That is where the comment comes from.
Our league is a farce with all the rule changes..
Ryan feel free to call me stupid, you at least have a set of balls on you to write your name. The other buffoon does not have enough credibility to write his name.
Make a comment.. Sign your name
Cory
Wtf, is he suspended or not.
CFL is and always be bush.
Very Beer league
Can't help but wonder how this will affect Ti-Cats moving forward. Do you think refs are going to give them the benefit of the doubt? The slap looked accidental to me, but there was contact. He should have been told to stay home for this week's game. Orridge just can't get it right.
Settle down Cory. Ryan called you stupid, the other guy asked you a valid comment. Have a coffee!
PS: Your initial comment to me advocates you tolerate contact with an official.
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