#WHATABOUTKAREN
John Woods/Canadian Press |
WINNIPEG – A penalty flag cost the Toronto Argonauts a touchdown on Thursday night in Winnipeg.
It also cost a Blue Bombers fan a $1 million prize.
Karen Kuldys of Winnipeg was the contestant for a Safeway/Sobeys $1 million touchdown promotion, needing two kick returns for touchdowns in the CFL game to win the grand prize.
Ryan Lankford ran back a 105-yard kick return for a touchdown on the first play of the game to get her halfway there.
Toronto’s Martese Jackson then ran a 109-yard kick return for a touchdown in the second quarter that should have sealed the deal for Kuldys, but a flag for an illegal block in the back by Toronto’s Llevi Noel negated the touchdown.
It didn’t take long for a “#WhatAboutKaren” hashtag to begin trending on Twitter in Canada, with many fans saying the referees had made a bad call and that Kuldys should get the $1 million.
The CFL found itself under fire on Friday with many fans – and league staffers alike – criticizing the call. Some are even calling it “an embarrassment to the CFL”.
On Wednesday, Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was fined for criticizing CFL referees in a game last week.
But Kuldys didn’t leave empty-handed. She won a home theatre package worth $25,000 thanks to Lankford’s touchdown 14 seconds into the game.
The Blue Bombers went on to beat the Argonauts 33-25.
(With files from Canadian Press)