Latest news with #CCES
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Blue Bombers QB Zach Collaros suspended for missing drug test
May 7 - Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros has been suspended for one game by the CFL on Wednesday for failing to respond to requests for drug testing by officials from the Canadian Centre for Ethics (CCES) in Sport. Per the CFL, the CCES attempted to contact Collaros on two occasions -- once via a phone call, once via text -- over a two-hour period. He did not reply within the required 24-hour period. Collaros will miss one regular-season game under consideration of what the CFL labeled as "extenuating circumstances." The league also noted that Collaros has never tested positive for any performance-enhancing drug. Collaros, 36, is a two-time CFL Most Outstanding Player and three-time Grey Cup champion. Winnipeg, which has a bye in Week 1, will open the regular season against the visiting BC Lions on June 12.
CBC
07-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
CFL suspends Bombers QB Collaros for failing to respond to off-season drug testing
The CFL has suspended Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros one game for failing to respond to an off-season drug-testing request. The league announced Wednesday officials with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) twice tried to reach Collaros by phone and another time via email over a two-hour period. It added Collaros, 36, failed to respond within 24 hours, which usually would result in a two-game suspension. The league said after a review it shortened the suspension to one game, citing "extenuating circumstances." The CFL also stated Collaros has never tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug under the joint CFL/CFL Players' Association drug policy. The CFL and CFLPA have also agreed to enhance contact protocols for off-season testing of players. "Zach Collaros is one of the most respected leaders in our locker room and across the CFL," Bombers president Wade Miller said in a statement. "He's a professional in every sense — committed, accountable, and a true example of what it means to be a Blue Bomber. "There was no intent for wrongdoing by Zach — just a missed step in the process. Both the CFL and CFLPA have since clarified and improved their communication protocols to help ensure this doesn't happen to other players in the CFL." Under terms of the drug policy, suspended players can't play in regular-season or playoff games. It is up to their club whether they participate in team activities, such as training camp, exhibition games, practices or meetings. "Zach will miss our first regular-season game but will continue to fully participate in training camp and pre-season games," Miller said. "As an organization, we're also reviewing and strengthening how we support players in navigating off-season requirements. "Zach remains an incredibly valued leader on and off the field, and we look forward to having him back under centre June 21 (Week 2)." Winnipeg kicks off its 2025 season hosting B.C. on June 12 and then visits the Lions the following week.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Blue Bombers QB Zach Collaros suspended one game for failing to respond to drug-testing notification; forces league to re-examine policy
Zach Collaros has a knack for navigating sticky situations. Widely considered one of the top quarterbacks in CFL history, the Blue Bombers' signal caller has built his career on an ability to evade pressure. However, nothing in Collaros' career could have prepared him for the situation he has faced in recent months. All because of a missed phone call. On Wednesday, the CFL suspended the Bombers star for one game for failing to respond to Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) officials seeking an off-season drug test. As a result, Collaros will miss the Bombers' first game of the season: a Week 2 matchup against the visiting B.C. Lions on June 12. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES On Wednesday, the CFL suspended Zach Collaros for one game for failing to respond to officials seeking an off-season drug test. As a result, Collaros will miss the Bombers' first game of the season: a Week 2 matchup against the visiting B.C. Lions on June 12. Visibly emotional during an interview with the Free Press this week, Collaros detailed the exhaustingly frustrating past several weeks that resulted in his decision to forgo an appeal, despite strongly asserting his innocence, and the league ultimately agreeing to change its off-season drug-testing notification policy. The bottom line for the 36-year-old Ohio native was standing up for his rights. 'Talking to my dad about it, and some other people I care about a lot, I've always done things the right way and I wouldn't want young people to think that I don't,' he said. 'It's hard for me to talk about, honestly, I just want to move on with it. It's been an everyday thing for me the last two months.' 'I've always done things the right way and I wouldn't want young people to think that I don't.' –Zach Collaros The chain of events that led to the CFL suspending the two-time Most Outstanding Player began Feb. 4 when a CCES official first attempted to contact Collaros to arrange a date for an off-season drug test. The CFL/CFLPA's negotiated drug policy stipulates a CCES official must attempt to contact a player twice by phone, once by text message and once by email within a two-hour window. Despite being tested throughout his 14-year CFL career, Collaros has never tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Collaros can easily recall the Feb. 4 date, as it coincided with both the first day of CFL free agency and Super Bowl week. He remembers being on his phone at times, including with former teammate Kenny Lawler, who was still trying to work out an extension with the Bombers. Throughout the week, he also received calls from news outlets eager for his two cents on his close friend, Travis Kelce, the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. Kelce, his former college roommate at the University of Cincinnati, was preparing to play in his third consecutive Super Bowl and is currently dating global music superstar Taylor Swift. 'I had told the team I didn't want to do anymore of those interviews,' Collaros said. 'I don't want to be asked about his girlfriend. That's none of my business.' Voicemail unlistened; email, texts unread Collaros does not recall receiving a phone call from a CCES official; it appeared on his phone as an unknown number. In fact, he said it wasn't until a week later, during a conversation with a representative with the players' association, that he learned someone attempted to contact him. The CFLPA inquired about Collaros' activities that day but throughout the questioning there was no mention of a possible suspension, nor was Collaros informed he was already under investigation for his inaction. The representative requested Collaros check his phone, where he discovered the missed call, a voicemail he had not listened to and the CCES email. NIC ADAM / FREE PRESS FILES Collaros does not recall receiving a phone call from a CCES official; it appeared on his phone as an unknown number. In fact, he said it wasn't until a week later, during a conversation with a representative with the players' association, that he learned someone attempted to contact him. In regard to the email, Collaros had an easy explanation: he never checks it. Within the Bombers organization, there's a long-standing joke that if someone wants Collaros to see an email, you must call him first. As proof, he pulled out his phone during the Free Press interview, revealing 89 unread text messages and more than 55,000 unread emails. All the messages from CCES were identical: 'Dear Zach. My name is (redacted) and I am the Sports Services Co-ordinator at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. I am contacting you with regards to the CFL/CFLPA Drug Testing Policy. Could you please call me back as soon as possible at (redacted)? I have tried calling and emailing you at the phone number and email provided to the CCES by your team.' Despite the two calls from the CFLPA inquiring about his actions and whereabouts, Collaros gave it little thought until a month later when he received another call from the union alerting him to an email informing him of a two-game suspension, the standard penalty for a first-time offender who either tests positive for a banned substance or refuses to provide a sample. Upon learning his impending punishment, the gravity of the situation began to sink in for the three-time Grey Cup champion. His first move was to request an extension, which gives a player 10 additional days to explore their options. More stringent drug-testing a CFL priority Collaros directly contacted the CFLPA executive to gain a clearer understanding and to express his confusion regarding the league's off-season testing protocols, adding he was unfamiliar with the punishment. Collaros recounted he was told 'something along the lines of they really want to start tightening down on things like this in the off-season.' 'I asked what that was supposed to mean?' Collaros said. 'They didn't know, but that somebody in the league office really wants this one.' The league had made more stringent drug testing a priority after going through the entire 2015 season without a program. The league, in partnership with CCES, now administers enough tests to cover 100 per cent of its players, though some may be selected multiple times while others aren't tested at all. Former Bomber running back Andrew Harris was suspended two games in 2019 for testing positive for a banned substance . Collaros then contacted Bombers team president and CEO Wade Miller and spoke with his agent, Dan Vertlieb. Vertlieb's father, Art, a prominent lawyer in B.C. with a long history with the players' association, also lent his expertise. It was during this stretch that it became apparent the language regarding off-season testing is somewhat ambiguous, notably lacking any explicit penalty for failing to respond. Collaros sheepishly admits that while he understands what substances are prohibited, he pays little attention to the training camp seminars that annually address the issue. However, Collaros acknowledges ignorance is not a defence. 'I hate that I'm making excuses, and at the end of the day, it's on me to follow the rules,' he said. 'We do know that there's off-season testing, but I can honestly tell you — and maybe other people feel differently — I never thought there were any consequences if you miss a phone call.' And while also not an excuse, Collaros pointed he has three kids under the age of five – a challenging situation for any parent – and he and his wife Nicole maintain a strict no-phone policy around their children. NICOLE COLLAROS / SUPPLIEDCollaros has three children under the age of five, and says he and his wife Nicole maintain a strict no-phone policy around their children. After consulting with legal counsel and union officials, they could find no grounds for a successful appeal. Collaros' argument would not be that he abstains from performance-enhancing drugs; rather, he would need to identify a clause in the bylaws that would exempt him from responding to a CCES official. That proved a tough pill to swallow. 'It pisses me off because I don't just want to lay down to these people,' Collaros said, a lump again forming in his throat. 'I can't help but get emotional when talking about this, but I had always been above board in this sport, in any sport. 'I love sports. I work my ass off. We all sacrifice a lot of time and effort in the off-season, during the season, to be in shape, to be at our best. I don't want someone to think I did it the wrong way and that's what really made me want to fight it.' New communication protocols to be introduced Meanwhile, the CFL head office was examining Collaros' concerns regarding what he perceived as inadequate communication channels. Collaros had cited other professional sports leagues, such as Major League Baseball, where more safeguards are in place to protect players, including additional points of contact with either the team or the player's immediate family members. Collaros believes he would not be facing this ordeal had these precautions been implemented. He noted that a single call to the Bombers would have sufficed to get his attention. The CFL agreed, offering Collaros a one-game suspension instead of two. However, that came with a caveat: Collaros would forfeit his right to appeal the one-game penalty, and any attempt to do so would result in the offer being withdrawn. The CFL and CFLPA have since agreed to introduce new communication protocols for off-season testing going forward. 'I think that says we've known this guy for long enough, we don't believe he was evading or using anything,' said Collaros, whose offer to take a subsequent test was turned down. 'However, we have a policy, so we've got to follow through with this.' 'At the same time, if the policy is flawed and that's why they're going to change it, why do they have to suspend me?' asked Collaros. 'Take my one or two game cheques as punishment, but let me play.' DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES "I don't care what these people think, I want to do what's right for the organization, for the team, for my teammates,' Collaros said. For a player who has absorbed crushing hits on the field, the next ones will be among the hardest to take — dealing with the rumours, innuendo and social media chatter that will question his reputation. However, after a career of playing before hostile fans, he's confident he'll be able to tune it out. 'The people that I care about know what I'm about. That was kind of my first inclination, when we were debating on the one game, I don't care what these people think, I want to do what's right for the organization, for the team, for my teammates,' Collaros said. 'Pushing this down the road for a 20 per cent chance of winning (an appeal), 10 per cent chance of winning and then maybe getting suspended and it becoming a circus in Week 8 or 10. 'I just thought it would be better to handle this one day at training camp, and missing the first game will suck, but then we're just playing football and we can talk about other stuff.' Jeff Hamilton Multimedia producer Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University's journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff. Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press 's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press 's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
CBC
03-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Team Einarson lead Briane Harris files complaint against CCES with WADA: reports
Curler Briane Harris, recently reinstated after sitting out nearly a year due to a provisional suspension, has filed a complaint against the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport with the World Anti-Doping Agency, two sources with knowledge of the situation said. The complaint was sent to the Montreal-based agency on Feb. 7, claiming nonconformity with the WADA Code by the CCES, according to a 10-page document that has been seen by The Canadian Press. CBC Sports has not independently confirmed the reports. The CCES is an independent organization responsible for administering Canada's anti-doping program. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because the complaint has not been made public. A four-time national champion as lead with Team Kerri Einarson, Harris had her ban lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport last January after it found she bore no fault or negligence for an anti-doping rule violation in January 2024. Harris tested positive for trace amounts of the substance Ligandrol, which is banned by WADA for its anabolic, muscle-building effects. The Winnipeg native claimed she was unknowingly exposed to it through bodily contact. Allegations against CCES The complaint to WADA was a result of developments in the days after Harris received out-of-competition test results on the eve of the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the document said. Her Toronto-area lawyers, Emir Crowne and Amanda Fowler, informed the CCES and World Curling on Feb. 19, 2024 of what they claimed was an alarming confidentiality breach, the document said, stemming from posts made two days earlier on the social media website Reddit. In a curling thread on the online forum, a user claimed to know details of the Harris case and posted them citing "a friend that works for the CCES" as the source of the information, according to the complaint. The posts, which Harris's lawyers claimed were seemingly accurate and contemporaneous, were deleted three days after they went online, the complaint said. Email exchanges between the curler's legal representation and CCES chief executive officer Jeremy Luke were included in the complaint along with the Reddit thread and screenshots of deleted posts. The Ottawa-based CCES, citing results of an internal investigation, said it did not believe anyone from the centre had shared the information publicly, according to the complaint. Messages left with the CCES were not immediately returned. Harris has asked that the matter be investigated thoroughly and independently, the complaint said, and that she be apprised of the findings of any investigation. Her lawyers claimed that the CCES investigating and exonerating itself is why WADA oversees its signatories, the complaint said. WADA did not immediately return a followup message on whether there will be an investigation into the Harris complaint. The World Anti-Doping Code, first published in 2003, is the core document that harmonizes anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sport organizations and among public authorities around the world, the agency's website said. Impact on Team Einarson It's unclear when the 32-year-old Harris, who declined an interview request, might return to competitive play. Her team, based in Gimli, Man., is ranked second in Canada behind national champion Rachel Homan of Ottawa. The rink has used a number of substitute players with Harris unavailable and second Shannon Birchard out with a long-term knee issue. Krysten Karwacki, normally an alternate, has filled in at lead. Karlee Burgess was added to the team in mid-season as an injury replacement for Birchard. Einarson's team has already secured a berth at the Montana's Canadian Curling Trials in November. That event will determine the country's four-player team representatives at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics in Italy.
