ARLAND BRUCE’S LAWSUIT THROWN OUT
VANCOUVER – A judge has tossed out a lawsuit by a former Canadian Football League player who claims negligence, alleging players haven’t been protected from concussions.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Christopher Hinkson says in a written ruling that the issues raised in Arland Bruce’s lawsuit are part of a collective bargaining agreement between the league and the CFL Players’ Association.
Hinkson dismissed the case, saying those issues must be resolved through the grievance and arbitration process, not the courts.
The defendants included the league, former commissioner Mark Cohon, neuroscientist Dr. Charles Tator and every team in the league.
Arland played for the B.C. Lions, Montreal Alouettes and other teams in his 14 year career and claims the defendants downplayed the effects of repetitive head trauma and misrepresented player safety issues about concussions.
The former wide receiver alleges he was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion while playing for the Lions in September 2012, and was allowed to play for the Alouettes in the 2013 season, despite displaying “ongoing effects of concussion.”
(The Canadian Press)
Football is just like hockey. The better the so called protective equipment gets the more injuries there is. Back when shin pads and shoulder pads were made of sheepskin and leather no one got hurt. Craig MacTavish was the last man to play in the NHL without a helmet and he never took a head shot. The bullet proof equipment is what's doing the injuring. Watched Rugby all weekend, it's definitely not a game for whimps and they're running around wearing shorts and nobody gets hurt. Go back to leather and sheepskin and nobody would be getting injured, and kids… Read more »
Although some of the equipment is the problem, the evolution of the athlete is huge too. Back in the day you didn't have guys 225+lbs of solid muscle playing skill positions added the armour of today equals injuries.
If you go back and read up on your football history, you will find that the death rate due to injury of those playing football with poor equipment was quite high and almost lead to the banning of the game in the USA. The intervention of Teddy Roosevelt and some others that enjoyed the game saved the day.
The elbow pads they wear in hockey would dent a battleship.