Darrell Davis
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Adios, Ajou Ajou.
Your self-entitlement ruined a promising football career. Pay attention in those classes the CFL is arranging for you. Those 15 mandatory counselling sessions that hopefully teach you how to behave properly around women — around everyone, really — after violating the league’s gender-based violence and harassment policy.
And give back all your Saskatchewan Roughriders merchandise.
The community-owned franchise thankfully wants nothing to do with you anymore. Even if you complete the classes, pass the psychological assessment and get approval from CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston and want to resume your career, general manager Jeremy O’Day told reporters Thursday that it wouldn’t be with the Roughriders.
“Our players and our staff are required to complete education for gender-based violence and harassment every single year,” said O’Day. “This is reinforced multiple times throughout the year.
“Our expectation is for our players and staff to treat people with respect and integrity. These violations clearly did not meet that standard for our organization and they will not be tolerated.”
The Roughriders are suitably embarrassed by your actions, which is why they released you moments after the CFL announced you were being suspended through the pre-season and at least six more regular-season games for being “engaged in aggressive and unwelcome physical contact with multiple women at a restaurant in Regina” on Nov. 18.
That’s two days after the Roughriders won the Grey Cup by defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 in Winnipeg. It’s also the day of the Grey Cup parade along The Green Mile, complete with exuberant gatherings at the legislative building.
Maybe it’s partly the team’s fault because the celebrations got carried away — with those stories becoming part of local lore — and maybe some nearby teammates could have settled you down. But somewhere or sometime the Roughriders told you to behave like an adult. They certainly told you Rider players are part of the community, with to-be-expected guidelines that need to be followed so you don’t besmirch the franchise.
The Roughriders have a code of conduct for everyone on the payroll. It was evidently broken. When the Roughriders heard about the incident two months afterwards, they immediately told the CFL office. An independent investigation also interviewed complainants and witnesses before the suspension was doled out.
“Protecting the safety and well‑being of our communities is non‑negotiable,” said the commissioner in a media release. “Our players are expected to lead with integrity and serve as role models.
“When improper conduct occurs, our policy is clear, and we will enforce it without exception. It is my hope that Mr. Ajou learns from this experience, and that other players take this unfortunate situation as a reminder of the standards we uphold.”
Two years ago the CFL investigated Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly, who was assessed similar penalties for verbally abusing a female assistant coach with overtly sexual suggestions. The Argonauts reinstated Kelly after his suspension and, despite being sidelined last season with a serious injury, expect him to again be their starter this year.
Maybe it’s because Kelly is a quarterback. They’re tougher to find than receivers. Or maybe the Argonauts don’t have the same moral compass as the Roughriders, an interesting discussion about teams who have players who believe societal norms don’t apply to them.
O’Day said no other Roughriders were being investigated and he hadn’t heard about any possible charges.
Most of the team’s code of conduct is simply common sense.
Riders players and coaches are usually treated pretty well in Saskatchewan, revered for their on-field performances and even moreso for their off-field contributions. There have been numerous transgressions through the decades, but for the most part the players who represent the green-and-white stay out of trouble, perform admirably and make fans proud of the team.
Not you.
The friends you made with your gregarious personality, the fans you made with your promising play after being a seventh-round selection in the 2024 CFL draft, the teammates who supported you after a short-lived NFL tryout, they’re not so proud anymore.
It could have been a wonderful success story. Not now.
