Employee Alleged Harassment Case - Chad Kelly

[kellynjk]

Please provide some details of this report.

Well we already heard some of the details of the incidents haven't we - through the documents filed in the civil suit. I certainly trust the CFL and the independent investigator with doing a thorough investigation substantiated by fact and witnesses. I support their decision regarding Kelly and I echo the sentiment that I would support the Argos releasing Kelly if they felt that was the best way forward.

["Issues"Mcgee]

Well we already heard some of the details of the incidents haven't we - through the documents filed in the civil suit. I certainly trust the CFL and the independent investigator with doing a thorough investigation substantiated by fact and witnesses. I support their decision regarding Kelly and I echo the sentiment that I would support the Argos releasing Kelly if they felt that was the best way forward.

A judge hasn't ruled on said documents filed in court. Documents filed in a civil suit are not automatically truth.

If a judge rules Kelly and the Argos did wrong, I am all for a suitable punishment.

[primetime31]

Given that Kelly "violated" the CFL's gender-based violence policy, perhaps the level of proof required for guilt has a lower bar than for civil cases or certainly a criminal case, which doesn't apply here. However, does the guilty verdict from the league affect Kelly's civil case? If so, then more of the information from the league's investigation may come to light. That unless the Argos and MLSE decide that this has to all go away with a NDA and out-of-court settlement.

[Rich]

In 2021 star NFL QB Deshaun Watson was sued for sexual assault by more than a dozen female massage therapists. In 2022 the NFL suspended Watson for 11 games.

There was some fallout for the Browns re-signing Watson, but the backlash wasn’t as big as people anticipated. He made his public apology, the more than 20 complainants all received settlements, and after serving his suspension, life pretty much carried on as before.

In 2024 Chad Kelly receives a similar suspension for a much lesser transgression in scope and severity. Well, good. We take gender safety more seriously in this country. A 9-game suspension plus mandatory counselling for shouting threats at the complainant on a crowded team bus is proof of that.

A wise and just decision by the league IMO. I gotta say I hear a little virtue signalling in all these calls for Kelly’s total banishment.

[ArgoRavi]

In 2021 star NFL QB Deshaun Watson was sued for sexual assault by more than a dozen female massage therapists. In 2022 the NFL suspended Watson for 11 games.

There was some fallout for the Browns re-signing Watson, but the backlash wasn’t as big as people anticipated. He made his public apology, the more than 20 complainants all received settlements, and after serving his suspension, life pretty much carried on as before.

In 2024 Chad Kelly receives a similar suspension for a much lesser transgression in scope and severity. Well, good. We take gender safety more seriously in this country. A 9-game suspension plus mandatory counselling for shouting threats at the complainant on a crowded team bus is proof of that.

A wise and just decision by the league IMO. I gotta say I hear a little virtue signalling in all these calls for Kelly’s total banishment.

To be fair, I believe that Kelly did much more than just shout threats at the complainant on the team bus. There were numerous incidents over the course of 2022 and 2023, according to the complainant's version of events - at least some of which appears to have been substantiated in the investigation. I would suggest that, in most workplaces, such conduct would get the employee engaging in such behaviour fired.

[Rich]

To be fair, I believe that Kelly did much more than just shout threats at the complainant on the team bus. There were numerous incidents over the course of 2022 and 2023, according to the complainant's version of events - at least some of which appears to have been substantiated in the investigation. I would suggest that, in most workplaces, such conduct would get the employee engaging in such behaviour fired.

The bus incident was surely the easiest to corroborate with multiple witnesses, and also, it was more blatantly violent than any of the other interactions she described.

And I would suggest that as the Deshaun Watson experience shows, professional sports franchises are nothing like most workplaces, for better or for worse.