Four Riders suffer suspected season-ending Achilles injuries ahead of training camp
Four member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders were sidelined with long-term injuries during a workout session in Regina on Thursday.
Defensive players Nelson Lokombo, Freddie Bishop and Larry Dean, and running back Jonathan Femi-Cole, all suffered Achilles injuries during the third and final day of workouts ahead of training camp, which is scheduled to begin on Saturday.
“We feel terrible about this,” said Riders’ general manager Jeremy O’Day. “Our players work very hard to get back to playing football. They've been very excited to be back in a stadium. Our heart goes out to those players that that were injured.”
O’Day said he believes all four injuries are season-ending, but the players are still being evaluated by medical staff.
The players were hurt in short time span during the workout, which resulted in trainers dealing with the injuries at the same time, according to O’Day. He said players were participating in drills he described as “nothing out of the ordinary” when the injuries happened.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, coaches and personal staff weren’t permitted at the unofficial practice. O’Day said the purpose of the workouts was to prepare players for football and called it an opportunity “to ramp them up until they’re practicing like normal.”
“To see this many of those injuries happen in such a short period of time is concerning,” he said.
The CFL season was cancelled in 2020 and players haven’t played in meaningful games since November 2019. The GM said time off could be a factor.
“In all my years of playing football, I’ve never seen anything quite like this,” said O’Day, who played 13 seasons in the CFL before joining the Riders’ front office as assistant GM in 2011.
Defensive back Lokombo was picked second overall by the Riders in the 2021 CFL draft. Dean, a linebacker, and Bishop, a defensive lineman, were both expected to takeover starting jobs on the Riders defensive unit.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.