Mark Cohon
CFL.ca
Some of you, our fans, have asked me about our league’s position on players wearing pink.
First of all, we understand the views expressed by some of our players and some of our fans. We are very sympathetic to the cause of breast cancer awareness. My own parents are cancer survivors, and we’ve all been touched by the disease in some profound and deep way.
But if we are going to allow our uniforms to be used to support any single cause, we need to ensure it is done the right way: backed by a comprehensive, league-wide public awareness and fundraising campaign, something that wasn’t in place this season but that we’re considering for next season.
We also need to ensure that in embracing one cause through our uniform policy, we are being fair to the many others who turn to our league for support.
We have tremendous respect for those players who would like to wear something on their uniform to support or honour a loved one they have lost or is ill. But from time to time, other players ask to wear colours other than pink, ribbons, numbers, initials or even names on some part of their uniform to honour a family member or friend, and we have had to decline those requests to ensure that any alteration to the uniform is done in a comprehensive way that’s in the best interests of the entire league, as well as a cause.
So the Board was also concerned that there are several excellent causes seeking support and if we were to allow one colour on the uniform in some sort of “one off” fashion, it may be unfair to say no to other causes, colours or ribbons who also want to be represented on our uniform: the result could be a different colour or symbol almost every week of the season, all without the proper campaigns in place to ensure such gestures make a lasting difference.
Our teams do a tremendous amount of work all year round on behalf of hundreds of causes, including breast cancer, other forms of cancer and other illnesses. In fact, each of our teams average over 700 player appearances a year in support of charitable causes. This year, two teams chose to host home games that focused on breast cancer awareness.
Our teams will continue to support worthy causes, including breast cancer awareness and other forms of cancer. And our league, which is already planning discussions with the Canadian Cancer Society in the off-season, will continue to review its uniform policy.
I hope that makes our position clear. Thank you for sharing your views with us. Please keep doing so. And thank you for your concern for others, and for your ongoing passion and support for our league.
Mark Cohon
Commissioner
Canadian Football League
