Global Courant 2023-04-14 06:13:42
Five SFU football players have filed an injunction with the Supreme Court of British Columbia to overturn the university’s heavily criticized decision to cancel its varsity football program last week.
In a separate civil claim, the players allege that Simon Fraser University’s decision violated their contract, despite the offer to honor their scholarships for another year.
“These players all came to SFU on promises… that they would play football and get a good education,” attorney Peter Gall said Thursday afternoon outside the BC Supreme Court.
“So with very little notice, the program is now being terminated. We’re saying this is a breach of contract.”
Neither claim of either action has been tested or proven in court, and the university has not filed a formal response.
In a statement to CBC, a spokesperson said the university is aware of the order and “will review and consider next steps.”
Last week Joy Johnson, president of Simon Fraser University, said the decision is a result of “ongoing uncertainty” following the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference’s announcement that it would drop SFU Football starting in 2024.
SFU Football is the only Canadian college team in the U.S. NCAA II Division and is claimed to have sent more players to the Canadian Football League than any other university. The school had one more place to play in the upcoming 2023 season.
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Peter Gall hopes SFU will reinstate the team before the May 3 “safety valve” deadline.
Players and Mark Bailey, president of the SFU Football Alumni Association, also say SFU took no steps to consult players, alumni or explore other league options in Canada before deciding to end the program on April 4.
Since the school’s decision, there has been a lot of support for SFU Football. CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie, Executive Director of the Canadian Football League Players’ Association Brian Ramsay and Football Canada President Jim Mullin have all written letters to Simon Fraser, U Sports and Canada West officials and football coaches condemning the decision and asking whether SFU is allowed to continue playing football in Canada.
Last resort
Bailey and Gall hope the court order puts pressure on the university to reverse the decision before May 3, when the dispute goes to court.
“It’s more about moving forward and being in constant conversation to get where we need to be,” said Bailey. “If we haven’t submitted this, I don’t know if we can get there.”
SFU has offered players to continue their academic scholarship for another year, but Gall and players say it’s not enough to reinstate the program.
“No other remedy will sufficiently compensate the (players) for what they will lose if the 2023 season is canceled,” the claim states.
Gall noted that the timing of the decision makes it impossible for many players to find a new team to play on before the next season begins, or to plan if the SFU team is reinstated.
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Key’Shaun Dorsey came to SFU to pursue his soccer dream.
The uncertainty has been destabilizing and demoralizing, according to the filed affidavits and public comments from players.
“The hardest thing about this process is looking at the faces, at all my boys who it could be their last season playing together as a team, and to see them stripped of them is just devastating” said Key’Shaun Dorsey, a sophomore player from Surrey, BC – southeast of Vancouver – who is not part of the lawsuit.
As a local, Dorsey hasn’t had to deal with the same housing, academic, and visa issues other players say the upheaval has caused them.
But he says he cannot stay at SFU to study if the team is not reinstated.
“My dream is to play football,” said Dorsey. “It would mean the world has one more season.”
