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CFL postpones training camps in response to pandemic – CBC.ca

Published

5 years ago

March 31, 2020

Henoc Muamba’s two-year-old daughter, Thea, will remain a part of the Montreal Alouettes linebacker’s off-season workouts for a little while longer.

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie postponed the start of training camps indefinitely Monday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was hardly a surprise given the NHL, NBA, MLS, and Major League Baseball have all had to either suspend or delay the start of their seasons.

“The ongoing global pandemic and the resulting directives issued by various governments make it unsafe to proceed with plans to gather our athletes and coaches together as scheduled,” Ambrosie said in a statement.

Rookie camps were scheduled to open May 13 with training camps starting four days later.

The CFL had already cancelled two regional combines and national combine while postponing its April 16 global draft. The Canadian draft remains set for April 30.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has forced CFL clubs to limit their facilities to only those players rehabbing injuries, and even then only one at a time. Gyms across North America have also closed their doors, forcing many players to be innovative in their workouts.

‘You have to find a way’

So last week, Muamba and teammate James Wilder Jr. both tweeted good-natured videos of them hoisting their young children above their heads as part of their new lifting regiments.

“You have to find a way,” Muamba said with a chuckle. “As much as I know the league wants to start the season on time and fans want to watch, we can’t do that until we know it’s going to be completely safe for players, coaches and fans alike.”

As Montreal’s player rep, Muamba wasn’t surprised by the move. The CFL and CFLPA have been discussing contingency plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Obviously it’s more challenging but at the end of the day it’s part of being a professional,” Muamba said. “You have to find a way to stay prepared and ready for when the time comes that we’re all called in to training camp.”

Montreal Alouettes linebacker Henoc Muamba poses with the trophy for the most outstanding Canadian award at the CFL Awards in November 2019. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)

Brian Ramsay, the CFLPA’s executive director, said the league’s decision best serves all involved.

“The health, safety and well-being of all players is our priority during these extraordinarily uncertain times,” he said in a statement. “And while it wasn’t an easy decision to postpone training camps, it’s in the best interest of our players, their families, fans and all those close to the game.”

Virus will dictate timetable

But with camps starting later, conventional wisdom suggests the CFL will have to also reschedule the start of its regular season, which is slated for June 11. And if that happened, the traditional 18-game campaign would have to be reduced in order get a season in and still have it culminate with the Grey Cup game Nov. 22 in Regina.

“As for our future plans, we are in the hands of our public health officials,” Ambrosie said. “We acknowledge their timetable will be dictated by the virus itself.

“We will make further decisions when we can and share them with our fans and the public as soon as possible.”

For veteran linebacker Marcus Ball, a CFL free agent, the later start to camp means more time to prepare and spend with his wife and two young children in Atlanta. As a personal trainer in the off-season, Ball has been able to get in solid home workouts after suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2019 with Calgary.

“I think everyone kind of expected that would happen,” he said. “It’s a very unfortunate situation . . . but the CFL is a very strong, smart and aware league that’s always taken care of the players’ interests so this is no surprise for them to push back training camp.

“It will be a good thing because this (COVID-19) isn’t just in a particular region, it’s a world-wide pandemic and everyone is suffering from it. This will give more time to plan and prepare, not to say I wanted or wished for more time, it’s having to play the cards you’re dealt.”

Family time

And that could also mean more viewings for Ball of the Disney film Frozen 2 with his kids.

“Frozen 2 has been a crowd favourite right now,” Ball said. “I’m trying to get away from it but the kids love it.

“But it’s a dope movie, it’s pretty cool.”

Running back Charlie Power of the Calgary Stampeders was expecting Monday’s announcement. He said while the novel coronavirus outbreak is forcing players to change their off-season workouts, it’s also creating potential financial concerns.

“The biggest impact has just been from everything closing down . . . so you have to modify how you’re training,” he said. “On the other side of things, it’s stretching the funds from last season to make sure you can make it until a season gets going.

“Everyone realizes this is bigger than football but at the same time players in the CFL aren’t making the typical pro athletes’ salary where we can survive for a long time. It’s about figuring out how to stretch those funds while at the same time staying motivated and realize there’s going to be a time when the season gets going again and you have to remain ready.”

Receiver DeVier Posey, who signed with Hamilton this off-season as a free agent, saw the CFL’s decision coming.

“It makes total sense,” said Posey, the ’17 Grey Cup MVP. “COVID-19, for me as a football player, is a wakeup call and I hope everyone else understands what other skills they’re good and open their minds to the different platforms they can perform on.

“People in the medical world or who work other jobs like in grocery stores or garbage disposal, those people are true heroes. We (pro athletes) aren’t the true heroes of the country, we only provide the true heroes their entertainment and I am appreciating that perspective.”

Muamba added times like this allow players to think more about life after football.

“I think it’s important for every player to analyze where they’re at in their life and career,” Muamba said. “Just to kind of self reflect and see if you were to transition from the game, where exactly are you.

“The extra time gives us a chance to also dive into different things “

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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