The discipline is in response to a play in which Mitchell performed an unnecessary, reckless act on Edmonton Eskimo offensive lineman Simeon Rottier during the second quarter of Friday night’s game in Vancouver.
CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon held a hearing late today with Mitchell and a representative of the Canadian Football League Players’ Association via telephone.
“This type of behaviour has no place in our game and will not be tolerated,” Cohon said. “Any play that unnecessarily puts one of our players at risk of serious injury will be met with discipline.”
A STATEMENT FROM THE CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE REGARDING KHALIF MITCHELL:
“The Canadian Football League has been informed that British Columbia Lion Khalif Mitchell will be appealing the Commissioner’s decision to impose upon him a two game suspension for his actions during a game against the Edmonton Eskimos on Friday, July 20th.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the CFL and the Canadian Football League Players Association, any player facing league discipline is entitled to appeal to an independent arbitrator.
Best efforts have been made to expedite the process and convene a hearing as soon as possible. But the scheduling of this matter requires the coordination of dates with the arbitrator and the parties involved. The hearing will be scheduled during the week of August 6.
Both parties have agreed to stay the suspension until the conclusion of the hearing, declaring Mitchell eligible to play for the Lions until an arbitrator has delivered his decision.
Out of respect for the process prescribed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Commissioner and the Canadian Football League will have no further public comment on this matter until a hearing has been held and an arbitrator’s ruling has been made.”
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