The Canadian Football League (CFL) recently made a new alcohol rule change to ban players from taking alcohol during a game after Ottawa Redblacks’ Jon Got celebrated a touchdown by chugging a beer.
The Ottawa Redblacks player took a beer from his girlfriend, chugged it, and then smashed the beer can on his helmet after scoring a touchdown during a tournament with the Toronto Argos. The CFL was not impressed with the offensive lineman’s beer chugging and thus the decision to ban such celebrations involving alcohol.
The policy change will discourage the use of alcohol-related props
The 33-year-old Redblacks player’s beer chugging went viral, but the CLF felt that it was a less than ideal representation. The league’s revised celebration policy prohibits player engaging in any alcohol or drug-related activities, especially during a game. The policy previously allowed players to drink a fan’s beer as part of touchdown celebrations. However, the new changes took effect after CFL executives discussed the risks as well as the message sent by such alcohol celebrations.
Meanwhile, it appears that Gott had premeditated the beer-chugging move for quite some time. He revealed during a TSN interview that he had planned on pulling such a stunt for a while. However, that was his first and last beer-chugging celebration courtesy of the newly changed policy.
“I’ve been talking about it for probably five years now, and I finally pulled the trigger. Saw that beer, chugged it, and crushed it over my head. And that was about it,”stated Gott.
Jon Gott-a-beer, Stone Cold Jon Gott has a message for #CFL: This is how they have fun in Ottawa. #RedBlacks@CFLonTSN@REDBLACKS@TSN_Sportspic.twitter.com/cqs5E4iG21
— Matthew Scianitti (@TSNScianitti) November 3, 2018
Fortunately, the CFL eased the touchdown celebration rules for the season and Gott’s beer chugging incident will not warrant a suspension or fine. The CFL also released a lengthy statement in which it explained the celebration policy change. The rule stated that the new on-field celebration policy will disallow alcohol and drug use. The policy will also ban any celebrations that mimic drug or alcohol use.
The statement also pointed out that celebrations in which a player drinks a fan’s beer was considered within the previous policy and so no disciplinary action was required. It, however, pointed out that the beer chugging may have been a fun one-time thing but that it cannot be allowed to happen repeatedly.
Gott gains more popularity after his beer-chugging
Meanwhile, Gott’s beer chugging celebration became an instant hit with the fans, and it garnered about 22,000 retweets. It is the second time that the CFL has changed the celebration policy this year. The league allowed players to use celebration props in August after fining Edmonton receiver Duke Williams for going over the end-zone signage.Darvin Adams, another receiver from Winnipeg was not fined for picking up an on-field TV camera to film his teammates.
The different incidents prompted the CFL to change its celebration policy. The decision to ban alcohol-related celebrations seems to focus on avoiding any activities that might encourage alcohol and substance abuse.
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