The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
According to the CFL, Kelly is also suspended for Toronto鈥檚 two pre-season games for violating its gender-based violence policy. Kelly must undergo confidential assessments by an independent expert and attend mandatory counselling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence expert.
Both the counselling sessions and assessments must be satisfactorily completed before the CFL will consider Kelly鈥檚 reinstatement, the league added in a statement. Otherwise, it reserves the right to modify his discipline.
Kelly, 30, was the CFL鈥檚 outstanding player last season after leading Toronto to a league-best and franchise-record 16-2 record. But the Argos鈥� season ended with a 38-17 home loss to eventual Grey Cup-champion Montreal in the East Division final.
There was no announcement regarding any penalties or sanctions against the Argos. But the league added their conduct in this matter, as laid out by the investigators, will be reviewed with the club.
鈥淭he club will respectfully abide by the League鈥檚 decision,鈥� the Argos said in a statement. 鈥淭he Toronto Argonauts and MLSE share the CFL鈥檚 commitment to providing healthy and positive work environments.鈥�
Neither Kelly nor the CFL Players鈥� Association were immediately available for comment.
The CFL鈥檚 decision to launch its investigation came after the complainant filed a statement of claim with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, alleging a pattern of harassment by Kelly, beginning with unwanted romantic advances and escalating into instances of threatening language.
The coach said the Argos did not act when told of Kelly鈥檚 behaviour and claims assistant general manager John Murphy said she 鈥渙pened a can of worms that didn鈥檛 need to be opened.鈥�
CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said the league鈥檚 investigation revealed definite violations of its gender-based violence policy.
鈥淚t was important that we performed our due diligence to properly review this matter from all points of view,鈥� Ambrosie said in a statement. 鈥淭hat in-depth investigation found that Mr. Kelly unequivocally violated the CFL鈥檚 gender-based violence policy.
鈥淢r. Kelly鈥檚 suspension is the direct result of his behaviour. The addition of mandatory counselling focuses on his need for self-reflection and understanding of his actions. He must take full advantage of this.鈥�
The complainant said she was informed in January her contract with the club would not be renewed. The complainant had joined the franchise in 2018 and said her contract had previously been continually renewed.
The complainant is seeking $80,000 from Kelly and a total of $85,714 from the Argos. The Canadian Press does not publish the names of alleged victims of harassment or sexual assault unless granted permission.
TSN also reported the complainant is also seeking $10,000 worth of punitive damages.
The broadcaster also said Kelly recently filed his defence in the lawsuit and denied making 鈥渁ny romantic or sexual overtures鈥� towards the plaintiff, including workplace sexual harassment.
Kelly stated the complainant 鈥渁dvanced these spurious claims against him purely to draw the attention of the media to what was otherwise a very routine termination situation.鈥�
In their defence filing, the Argos claimed they had 鈥渘o knowledge鈥� of any behaviour from Kelly that violated the CFL鈥檚 gender-based violence policy or breached the Ontario Human Rights Code. The team also claimed its conduct with the plaintiff was 鈥渁ll times fair, reasonable, lawful and undertaken in good faith.鈥�
Kelly, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., signed a three-year, $1.85-million extension with Toronto last season that made him the league鈥檚 highest-paid player. This off-season, though, Kelly restructured his contract with the team.
The CFLs announcement comes with CFL rookie camps slated to open Wednesday. It鈥檚 unclear if Kelly will be in attendance at the Argos鈥� camp, which is being held at the University of Guelph.
With Kelly starting 16 of Toronto鈥檚 18-regular-season games in 2023, first-year backups Cameron Dukes and Bryan Scott both played sparingly. Dukes made two starts, completing 63-of-96 passes for 760 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing 35 times for 126 yards and eight TDs.
Scott didn鈥檛 complete any of the four passes he attempted last season.
The CFL鈥檚 suspension of Kelly comes roughly two weeks after it handed retired defensive lineman Shawn Lemon an indefinite ban for betting on league games in 2021, including one he played in.
Defensive back Chris Edwards, then of the Argos, was suspended for six games following the 鈥�21 season for his role in an altercation with a fan following the East Division final. But it was reduced to three games.
Following last season, Edwards, then with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, received a three-game suspension for striking opponents and inciting a non-football altercation during the East Division semifinal. Edwards retired in February.
In 2022, Saskatchewan defensive lineman Garrett Marino received a four-game ban from three separate suspensions following his actions in a game versus the Ottawa Redblacks. The penalty was the league鈥檚 most severe total discipline ever implemented for in-game behaviour during one contest.
READ ALSO:
READ ALSO:
