The CFL announced on Wednesday that recently retired defensive lineman Shawn Lemon was suspended by the league due to participating in sports wagering activities involving the CFL including one game in which he played.
The league’s investigation team uncovered that Lemon betted on CFL games during his time with the Calgary Stampeders in 2021. However, the CFL said that no evidence was found to indicate matches were in any way impacted by his wagering. In addition, no evidence was found to indicate that any Calgary coaches, teammates, nor team personnel were aware of his actions.
“The integrity of our game is of the utmost importance. Any other factors – career performance, actions in the community, timing, frequency, or size of wagers – hold no weight when the legitimacy of the CFL can be called into question,” said CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
“It is our responsibility as a league to investigate and address such abnormalities, and it is our collective duty, along with our teams and players, to ensure that sports wagering in no way impacts the quality nor standing of the CFL. We will continue to work with our authorized gaming operators, partners, and stakeholders to hold our game to the highest standard.”
Shawn Lemon retired from the CFL on April 12, 2024, after a 12-year career playing for the Montreal Alouettes, Calgary Stampeders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, B.C. Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Toronto Argonauts. Both the Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders released statements on the league’s announcement.
Montreal Alouettes statement:
“The Alouettes were recently made aware of the CFL’s investigation regarding an issue involving Shawn Lemon that took place in 2021. Additional information was made available to the club upon the completion of the league’s investigation in recent days. The team fully supports the CFL’s rules on gambling. As a result of this investigation and the league’s ruling, we have suspended Shawn Lemon indefinitely. We will have no further comment.”
Calgary Stampeders statement:
“The Calgary Stampeder Football Club is surprised and disappointed by the revelations of the Canadian Football League’s investigation into Shawn Lemon’s sports wagering activities. The Stampeders unequivocally support the CFL’s policy on gambling and condemn the actions for which the player in question has been sanctioned. The Stampeders echo CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie’s comments about the upmost importance of preserving the integrity of the sport and the league. The Calgary Stampeders will have no further comment on the matter.”
