The CFL is preparing to provide consistent transparency regarding injuries to players with single-game sports betting being legalized in Canada.
TSN reporter Farhan Lalji has the details: “The CFL and its general managers have agreed the league will need to be more transparent this season when it comes to the reporting of injuries. As a result, you can expect to see NFL-style injury reports this season — beginning in Week 1.”
“Those reports will include the players name, the body part that’s injured, the status at practice that day and the projection for his game that week, and those will be updated again on a day-to-day basis.”
“As far as where COVID-19 fits in that, they will not have a separate list like the National Hockey League did this year. Instead, COVID protocols will be listed on that injury report. So if a player does have that, COVID will be listed in lieu of that injured body part.”
The injury report has been a cornerstone of public confidence in the NFL for many decades. The credibility of the league, teams, owners and team personnel requires full compliance with and uniform enforcement of the policy.
The intent is to provide full and complete information on player availability. It is NFL policy that information for dissemination to the public on all injured players be reported in a satisfactory manner by teams to the league office, the opposing team, local and national media, and broadcast partners each game week of the regular season and post-season.
The information must be credible, accurate, timely, and specific within the guidelines of the policy, which is of paramount importance in maintaining the integrity of the game. A violation of the policy may result in commissioner discipline, which may include a fine on the involved team, fines or suspensions of involved individuals, as well as the possible forfeiture of draft choices by the involved franchise.
Each public relations director is responsible for ensuring that all required injury and practice and game participation information is reported to the NFL communications department, and issued to the opposing team, local and national media, and broadcast partners.
That’s the model the CFL will attempt to follow in some form or fashion.
