A week has gone since significant harassment charges against Chad Kelly, a well-known quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), were made public.
Finally, on Wednesday, the CFL announced an ongoing inquiry into these allegations.
The charges were part of a wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed by the team’s former strength coach.
The complainant chastised the team and its high-ranking personnel for being unresponsive when she reported Kelly’s behavior.
Arguably, their carelessness opened a can of worms that is now difficult to shut.
She accuses assistant general manager John Murphy of reprimanding her for conversing with Kelly and unwittingly causing unnecessary controversy.
“General manager John Murphy told her she “should not have spoken to [Kelly], and that she had now ‘opened a can of worms that didn’t need to be opened.””
Initially, the CFL and the Argonauts issued an anonymous statement confirming awareness of the case but providing no evidence of an internal inquiry.
“The League is currently reviewing this matter but has no further comment at this time.”
The delayed response of the CFL and the Argonauts sparked criticism. It raised the possibility that Kelly, the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 2023, might have a privileged position.
Typically, CFL players facing legal claims are stripped of their duties immediately, even without an inquiry.
Despite the delay, the CFL ultimately announced its internal investigation into Kelly’s conduct and posted the official statement on their website.
The CFL is dedicated to providing healthy and positive working and playing conditions for all league personnel and member clubs.
“We take the claims against the Toronto Argonauts and Mr. Kelly extremely seriously, and we have launched an inquiry in accordance with the league’s Gender-based Violence Policy.
We will not be able to comment further until our investigation is concluded, out of respect for the process and all individuals involved.
“The start of an investigation does not imply an imminent end or guaranteed retribution for Kelly.”
There is a risk that inadequate evidence will be uncovered to accuse him with violating league policies.
This probe is separate from the civil complaint filed against Kelly and the team, which may result in a different outcome.
In such sensitive situations, the CFL, under Commissioner Randy Ambrosie, has been known to take harsh actions, including banning players from the league.
The most recent case involves Teague Sherman, who was accused of sexual assault in 2018 and was swiftly fired from the Ottawa Redblacks following the charges.
However, the analogies with earlier cases come to an end here. Sherman, unlike Kelly, faced criminal charges that differed in severity.
Future actions against Kelly may range from interim suspension to complete bans, as has been seen in the past.
More light will be thrown on the matter as the inquiry continues, providing a clearer picture of the route ahead for both the CFL and Chad Kelly.
“Look, it’s going to be different,” – The Patriots’ new head coach, Jerod Mayo, believes the club requires a different approach than under Bill Belichick.
George Kliavkoff Steps Down as Pac-12 Commissioner; Teresa Gould Takes Historic Role
Leave a Reply