USports Canada changed its mind on football player eligibility

Vanier Cup (Jim Mullin, Wikimedia Commons)

All Canadian university football players who were to be in their senior season in 2020, will have another opportunity to play football in 2021 according to Devin Heroux of CBC Sports. Initially when the 2020 Canadian university football season was scrapped because of coronavirus, it was determined that fifth-year players who were 24 years old would not eligible to return for the 2021 football season.

However, there was significant criticism towards those who made this decision, and USports chaged its mind. By not allowing fifth-year players comeback for the 2021 season when they were eligible for the 2020 Canadian university football season was a clear example of age discrimination.

One must also question USports stating this is a “one-time exemption.” There is simply no guarantee that the 2021 Canadian University football season will happen either. Unless there is a vaccine, there is a strong possibility the entire Canadian university sports scene will be cancelled across the board next year too.

The last Canadian university football game took place on November 23 at the University of Laval in Quebec City, Quebec. The University of Calgary Dinos defeated the University of Montreal Carabins 27-13. Even though the 2020 Canadian university football season has been wiped out, the National Collegiate Athletic Association will actually begin their college football season as early as August 29. This decision has been made despite a high number of coronavirus cases during training sessions among players at Clemson University and Louisiana State University.

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