Canada Sports News

Defensive lineman Shawn Lemon has appealed his sports-gambling suspension and is back with the Montreal Alouettes.

1. Académie du CF Montréal : deux nouvelles équipes (U16 et U18) seront créées  DansLesCoulisses
2. « L'aspect mental », le talon d'Achille du CF Montréal  La Presse
3. CF Montréal: voici les villes qui pourraient l’accueillir en cas de déménagement  TVA Sports
4. Souriez ou vendez, M. Saputo, la vie est un fromage!  Le Journal de Québec
5. Pour le CF Montréal, ça se passe entre les deux oreilles  RDS

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LOS ANGELES — World Cup-winning French striker Olivier Giroud is signing with Los Angeles FC.

LAFC formally announced the long-anticipated move Tuesday for the 37-year-old Giroud, who leaves Europe after 18 years in the top professional leagues in France, England and Italy. Giroud confirmed Monday that he would leave AC Milan for a Major League Soccer club.

Giroud joins LAFC as a designated player with a contract through 2025. The deal includes an option for 2026, the club said.

LAFC general manager John Thorrington said the club has been eager to add Giroud since last fall, and it attempted to land his services in the January transfer window. The 2022 MLS Cup champions and 2023 runners-up then decided to wait for Giroud to become available this summer, rather than signing another offensive star for the current season.

“The way he fits really complements our attacking group,” Thorrington told The Associated Press. “We do have some incredible attackers already here, but I think he will elevate us — not just with his own productivity, but I think what you see with his ability is he’s not just a pure goal-scorer. He is very good at facilitating play, and that’s what we saw, which is so compelling.”

Giroud is best known for his six prolific seasons at Arsenal from 2012-18, followed by three years apiece at Chelsea and Milan. He has scored 285 goals in 716 matches during his club career while winning a wealth of trophies, including a Champions League triumph with Chelsea three years ago.

Giroud also is a star for the French national team, scoring a record 57 goals and playing for Les Bleus’ World Cup winners in 2018. He is expected to play again for France at this year’s at the European Championship, which begins next month.

It’s unclear exactly when Giroud will debut for LAFC, but it’s likely to be in late July. Defender Giorgio Chiellini didn’t make his LAFC debut until mid-July after signing with the club in May 2022 following a full season at Juventus.

“I am delighted and excited to join LAFC,” Giroud said in a statement issued by the club. “I can’t wait to get to Los Angeles and to play in front of the 3252 (supporters’ section) and all of the incredible fans.”

Giroud will finish up a solid season for Milan with two more matches. He is currently fourth in Serie A with 14 goals, and he is among the league’s top overall playmakers as well.

“His productivity is incredible,” Thorrington said. “We’ve never had just a pure goal-scorer. That’s not the way we play. I think his combination of skill sets, with his ability to link play, his ability to finish, his tactical mentality, we think he’ll be an incredible addition.”

LAFC is fifth in MLS’ Western Conference at 5-4-3, but manager Steve Cherundolo’s team isn’t currently struggling to score goals while led by Denis Bouanga. The French-born forward who represents Gabon internationally tops LAFC with six goals, and the club’s 22 goals in league play are more than every MLS team except Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and crosstown rival LA Galaxy.

Giroud will be reunited at LAFC with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, his longtime teammate for France. Lloris left Tottenham to sign with LAFC ahead of this season, and both stars have young families who embraced the chance to live in sunny Los Angeles. Giroud and his wife, Jennifer, have four children.

“I think it helps that we have one of his best friends in football in Hugo as our goalkeeper,” Thorrington said. “I don’t think he’s coming just because of that, but I think that did enable conversations at a different level than I could have with him. What’s it like to play there? What’s it like for your family? That helped Olivier make the decision.”

Giroud’s years of club success and World Cup stardom have made him an international star with a famous face. But Thorrington said that’s not the primary motivation for the move by LAFC, which also signed MLS Cup Final hero Gareth Bale for a brief, trophy-winning stint in 2022.

LAFC’s roster is built on a bedrock of talent from throughout North and South America, but headlined in recent years by European luminaries — from Chiellini and Bale to Bouanga and Giroud.

“We are a star town, and we’ve never shied away from (the fact) that matters in LA,” Thorrington said. “But we don’t ever invest because of just that. It needs to be the right combination, but certainly when our owners met with Olivier and you can see his hunger to win, it’s very clear that he’s coming here to help bring this club to the success that everybody wants.”

LHJMQ : Gardiner MacDougall serait nommé entraîneur-chef des Wildcats de Moncton  RDS

From the off-season through the first 41 games of the Toronto Blue Jays’ 2024 campaign, one of the biggest stories surrounding the team has been a lack of power.

The Blue Jays rank 25th in the majors in home runs hit (35), which helps explain why the team has MLB’s 28th-best run total despite above average strikeout and walk rates. While Toronto didn’t enter the year projected to mash homers like the 2021 or 2022 iterations of the team, the Blue Jays have still limboed under modest expectations in the power department.

A new explanation for that phenomenon arrived on Monday in the form of Statcast’s new bat-tracking data. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Blue Jays are not producing many hard swings.

To be specific, just two hitters on Toronto’s roster (Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho) have an average bat speed above the league average of 71.5 m.p.h. — and three rank (Justin Turner, Cavan Biggio, and Ernie Clement) in the bottom-20 league-wide. That trio has combined for a respectable 100 wRC+, but with just seven home runs to their names in 324 plate appearances.

Fast-swing rate might be more instructive as swings over 75 m.p.h. generate a batting average of .307 and SLG of .603 while those slower than that result in a .246 AVG and .369 SLG. The MLB average fast swing rate sits at 24.1 per cent and once again Vladdy excels (52.4 per cent) while Varsho is narrowly above the league standard (28.2 per cent). 

The rest of the hitters on the active roster aren’t coming close to average.

Player

Fast swing rate

George Springer

16.4%

Bo Bichette

14.4%

Daniel Vogelbach

12.5%

Kevin Kiermaier

11.0%

Alejandro Kirk

8.7%

Danny Jansen

6.7%

Davis Schneider

5.6%

Cavan Biggio

3.3%

Isiah Kiner-Falefa

2.1%

Justin Turner

1.9%

Ernie Clement

0.9%

Over the past few weeks, the Blue Jays’ bats have consistently been described as sluggish and it seems like that’s literally true.

That said, Statcast’s numbers show that raw bat speed isn’t everything. As good as they make Guerrero look, for instance, he’s still slugging .391 with a modest ISO of .115. 

One of the reasons is the first baseman’s bat speed doesn’t seem to be squaring up the ball consistently. This is intuitive considering his difficulty with ground balls. An inability to hit the ball on the sweet spot of the bat prevents a hitter from getting close to the theoretical max exit velocity that he could attain based on his bat speed and an incoming pitch’s velocity. 

Any swing that achieves 80 per cent of that maximum is now considered ‘squared-up’ by Statcast’s definition and Guerrero’s rate on contact (27.3 per cent) sits well below the MLB average (34.4 percent).

Here are a few more notes on the newly released data:

The Danny Jansen experience

Jansen has generated impressive power production without impressive exit velocity numbers, and he’s currently slugging .667 with subpar bat speed numbers.

The explanation for that seems to be that despite a relative lack of pure power, he finds the sweet spot on the bat and gets the most out of his middling bat speed. 

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Jansen is squaring up 40.3 per cent of his contact and he leads the Blue Jays in blast rate on contact (19.5 per cent) — the percentage of his batted balls that are both fast swings and squared up. On average, blasts result in .545 AVG and 1.116 SLG.

Addison Barger shows serious bat speed 

Barger’s first few games in the majors resulted in a .056/056/056 line, but his average bat speed (75.3 mph) ranked 30th among the 461 hitters with at least 10 competitive swings tracked this season.

The 24-year-old looked a bit out of his depth at the sport’s highest level, but he can clearly swing the bat with authority. Whether he’s able to control his violent swing well enough to thrive in the majors remains to be seen, but his .279/.410/.512 line in triple-A is impressive.

Turner finds the leaderboards

These new numbers don’t take a particularly kind view of Turner, but because the data is only available for 2024, it’s unclear if that’s a recent development based on his advancing age.

Whatever the cause of the veteran’s lack of bat speed (65.4 m.p.h. on average), he does seem to have a way to compensate for it. Turner’s swing length of 6.4 feet is the fifth-shortest in the major leagues. 

Hitters in that area tend to be pure contact hitters like Luis Arraez, Steven Kwan, and Nick Madrigal. All of this is too new to know how it might affect player projections, but Turner’s low bat speed/short swing profile seems likely to result in strong strikeout avoidance numbers from here on out while his power could disappoint.

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In one of the most anticipated WNBA seasons yet, all 12 teams have the same ultimate goal — to be champions at the end of the season. But that journey looks different for each one.

The Las Vegas Aces still have a core that is capable of winning a third-straight title, while the Indiana Fever have not made playoffs since 2016 but now house the last two No. 1 picks in the WNBA draft. The 2021 WNBA-champion Chicago Sky are looking to rebuild after losing some of the last pieces of the trophy-winning roster, while the Seattle Storm have a new core that looks to bring championships back to the northwest.

As the WNBA prepares to tip off for its 27th season, here is one question each team must answer.

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Atlanta Dream: How can Atlanta keep building after last year’s playoff exit?

For the Atlanta Dream, even making the playoffs was a good standard to get back to after missing the previous four seasons. However, getting swept by the Dallas Wings was still less than ideal, and the Dream know they have work to do for the 2024 season.

Rhyne Howard has been stellar for the Dream in her first two seasons, averaging 16.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Allisha Gray is back for a second season after averaging 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists last year.

The talent on the roster continues to run deep with the addition of eight-time All-Star Tina Charles in the off-season, plus the continued growth of Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and sophomore Haley Jones.

Aerial Powers and Jordin Canada will bolster the playmaking and scoring for the Dream, replacing Aari McDonald and Danielle Robinson. There’s no question the Dream have talent, but how they mesh will determine how well they can keep growing under head coach Tanisha Wright.

Chicago Sky: How do the new pieces fit into the Sky’s rebuild?

While 2021 was just three years ago, a lot of the core from the Sky’s championship roster is no longer with the team. It looked like it was going to be a reunion when Diamond DeShields returned to the sky but then Kahleah Copper, the 2021 WNBA Finals MVP, left for the Phoenix Mercury.

New faces aren’t just on the court for Chicago as the changes include coaching after Teresa Weatherspoon was hired in October. And two of the newest faces are the players Chicago selected in the draft: Angel Reese, a 2023 NCAA champion with LSU, and Kamilla Cardoso, who joins Chicago after a national title of her own with South Carolina. Reese scored 13 points in each of her two pre-season games and nearly had a double-double in her debut. Cardoso had six points and four rebounds in her pre-season debut but will miss the first month of the season with a shoulder injury.

The addition of Isabelle Harrison will bring veteran experience to the Sky alongside DeShields, Dana Evans and Elizabeth Williams. But the decision to trade Copper showed Chicago is embracing the rebuild and will be focusing on fit and development this season.

Connecticut Sun: What needs to change to get the Sun over the hump?

The Connecticut Sun have been a title contender for the last couple of seasons, but are still looking for that final piece in the championship puzzle. They have made it to the second round of the WNBA playoffs each of the last seven years, playing in the WNBA finals twice in 2019 and 2022, but have never reached the summit.

Connecticut’s core has remained the same for the last couple of seasons, with the exception of Jonquel Jones who departed for the New York Liberty last season. Otherwise, the returning core of Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones will put the Sun in a position to contend for a title.

Jones especially should provide a boost after missing most of last season with a ruptured Achilles. Other additions this year include Moriah Jefferson, Tiffany Mitchell and Rachel Banham. Jefferson averaged 10.5 points per game on 43.3 per cent shooting for Phoenix last season and Mitchell adds strong defensive ability on top of averaging 7.3 points per game on 40.4 per cent shooting. Banham was drafted by the Sun in 2016 and played with them for four seasons before playing her last four seasons with the Lynx.

Dallas Wings: How can Dallas keep building off last year’s momentum?

After missing the playoffs in 2019 and 2020, the Dallas Wings made the post-season the following two seasons but lost in the first round. Then came a coaching change and the addition of Latricia Trammell helped the Wings soar to new heights in 2023.

The Wings swept the Dream in the first round before losing to eventual WNBA champion Las Vegas. But the momentum is on Dallas’ side. Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings’ 2023 leading scorer who averaged 21.2 points per game, returns, as does Natasha Howard and Teaira McCowan. Kalani Brown, Crystal Dangerfield and Veronica Burton also contribute on all areas of the floor, ranging from perimeter shooting, defence, physicality and athleticism.

Dallas selected Jacy Sheldon with the fifth overall pick in the draft, filling in a gap at the guard position. Maddy Siegrist, the third overall pick in 2023, will return for her sophomore season after spending time with Athletes Unlimited in the winter.

One hole in the lineup will be left by Satou Sabally, who injured her shoulder during February’s Olympic qualifying tournament. Sabally was second on the Wings in scoring last season, averaging 18.6 points per game.

Indiana Fever: Will the younger players be able to orchestrate a playoff berth?

With the potential to be the most-watched team this season, the Indiana Fever have a big task at hand in front of all their new fans — become a playoff contender. The Fever have not qualified for the playoffs since 2016 and did not win their lone game during that year.

Of course, all eyes are on Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft this year, but the Fever also have Aliyah Boston, the reigning Rookie of the Year and No. 1 pick in 2023, Grace Berger, the seventh-overall pick in last year’s draft, and NaLyssa Smith, the No. 2 pick in 2022, to round out the youth on their squad.

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Katie Lou Samuelson arrives in Indiana after playing last season in Los Angeles, adding defensive strength and veteran talent alongside Kelsey Mitchell, one of the Fever’s best scorers, and Erica Wheeler, who is a steady playmaker. Last year, eight first- or second-year players suited up for the Fever, making veterans the odd ones out.

The Fever finished 10th in 2023, two spots out of the playoffs, but were not eliminated until the final weeks of the season. Development and progress are the keys for Indiana but this year a playoff berth is the expectation.

Las Vegas Aces: Is a three-peat in the cards?

The Houston Comets are the only franchise in WNBA history with three consecutive championships but the Las Vegas Aces can join them in 2024.

It all starts with A’ja Wilson, who looks to become the fourth three-time MVP in league history. Last season she won her second-straight defensive player of the year award while also being named Finals MVP — and she made sure the applause was louder than the disrespect she felt from the season MVP voting.

Even though Candace Parker announced she has retired, “Point Gawd” Chelsea Gray returns as one of the best playmakers in the WNBA, with elite court vision and passing. Kiah Stokes is a big body who is one of the best rebounders and shot-blockers in the league.

Two other key returning pieces are Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum. Young gets better every year she plays in the WNBA while Plum is a prolific scorer who can find the net from long range. Alysha Clark is another player who can defend anyone on the court, while Sydney Colson is a player who can cause problems offensively.

The roster won’t be together forever with expansion drafts looming, but for at least one more season the Aces have the parts needed to take this team to the WNBA Finals and lift the trophy for a third-straight year. Many players have taken below-market contracts to keep the team together, showing their commitment to each other and winning.

Los Angeles Sparks: Do new faces mean a new era of Sparks basketball?

The Los Angeles Sparks look a lot different from the team that went to back-to-back finals in 2016 and ’17. When Candace Parker walked away to play for the Sky in 2021 the Sparks knew they still had Nneka Ogwumike on their side. But Ogwumike left for the Storm this winter, officially closing the door on an era in Sparks history.

The Sparks have not seen the old levels of success in a few years — they haven’t made the playoffs since 2020 and are on their third head coach since 2022.

But the upside to the recent down years meant that the Sparks could select Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson with the No. 2 and No. 4 picks in the WNBA Draft. Both are expected to make big impacts in their rookie seasons for Los Angeles.

Brink and Jackson add two bigs to a guard-heavy roster, headlined by Lexie Brown and Zia Cooke. Brown missed most of the 2023 season due to illness, but in the 12 games she did play she averaged a career-high 12.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 48.6 per cent from the field and 41.5 per cent from three-point range. Cooke is entering just her second season in the WNBA, and while her rookie year saw fluctuating playing time, she will be expected to take on a bigger role this season.

One other notable addition for Canadian hoops fans is Kia Nurse, who was traded to the Sparks from Seattle to provide some depth scoring.

Minnesota Lynx: What does the post-dynasty era look like for the Lynx?

Once a dynasty in the 2010s, the Minnesota Lynx officially entered a new era when Sylvia Fowles retired after missing the playoffs in 2022. Last season, the Lynx looked to be in danger when they started the season 0-6 but instead, they kept pushing to earn a playoff spot and took the Sun to a winner-take-all Game 3 in the opening round.

The Lynx are led by Napheesa Collier but Canadian Bridget Carleton will be a shooting threat and Kayla McBride, who signed a two-year extension with the Lynx, is coming off her highest scoring season with the team.

Diamond Miller and Dorka Juhász, both coming into their sophomore seasons, showed potential as rookies that the Lynx hope to build off of. Add in veterans Natisha Hiedeman and Courtney Williams, and first-round draft pick Alissa Pili, and the Lynx have a roster capable of going on a run.

New York Liberty: What will push the Liberty to the next level?

When Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot all took their talents to New York last season, everyone expected them to be a title contender. Their start was a bit rocky but they ultimately clicked into place and advanced to the final before falling to eventual champion Las Vegas.

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Sabrina Ionescu round out the starting five, showcasing some of the best players in the league on one single roster. Stewart and Jones have combined for three MVP awards, Vandersloot is one of the best passers in the game, Laney-Hamilton is a reliable defender and Ionescu is one of the league’s best three-point shooters.

But the Game 4 loss against the Aces still looms over the Liberty and head coach Sandy Brondello will use that as fuel this season.

The Liberty will miss the scoring from Marine Johannés who will not return to the team until after the Olympics, if at all. New York hopes to strengthen their team with Marquesha Davis, the 11th overall pick who averaged 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals during her two years at Ole Miss, and Leonie Fiebich, who is a versatile scorer.

Phoenix Mercury: Can off-season additions breathe life back into the Mercury?

The Mercury have had some fantastic off-season additions in Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper, plus Nate Tibbetts as their new head coach. But they also lost Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brianna Turner and Michaela Onyenwere among others, necessary changes after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

The new additions will complement the existing core of Brittney Griner, who averaged 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season, and Diana Taurasi, who still averaged 16.0 points per game on 40.3 per cent shooting in Year 19.

Cloud set career highs in minutes, points and rebounds per game in her final season with the Mystics, with her 6.2 assists per game ranking fifth in the league. She is a solid two-way player and one of the league’s best perimeter defenders. Copper is coming off a season where she averaged a career-best 18.7 points while shooting 44.8 per cent from the field and 40.4 per cent from three-point range.

Bec Allen also joins the Mercury this season after averaging 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in her one season with the Sun.

Seattle Storm: Can the new core four bring success back to Seattle?

When Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird left the Seattle Storm, fans knew it was the end of an era. But what an era it was. The Storm won four titles from 2004 to 2020, took home the first-ever Commissioner’s Cup, and made the playoffs for seven straight seasons after Steward arrived in 2016.

While the Storm still had the “Gold Mamba” Jewell Loyd on their roster last year, averaging 24.7 points per game, they did not qualify for the playoffs and are now turning their attention to developing their young players and building for the future.

Mercedes Russell looks to have found her form again after playing in Australia with the Southside Flyers, averaging 14.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and rookie Nika Mühl already showed what she can do off the ball with her lockdown defence on Caitlin Clark during the NCAA tournament.

The Storm did add some veteran talent this off-season with Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, who join Loyd and the returning Ezi Magbegor to form a new core four. Even with one down season, expectations are still high for the Storm under head coach Noelle Quinn.

Washington Mystics: What will the new-look Mystics bring to the table?

The roster for the Mystics looks different this year as leader Natasha Cloud left for Phoenix, and two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne announced she would be taking time away from basketball after multiple back injuries have limited her in recent seasons.

Veteran guard Ariel Atkins returns, as does Brittney Sykes, who ranked second behind Delle Donne in scoring with 15.9 points per game last season. Shakira Austin returns after averaging 10 points per game, while also bringing her elite defence to the table.

Other core players returning to the Mystics are Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and Myisha Hines-Allen. Stefanie Dolson, who began her career with the Mystics, is now back on the squad for the first time since 2016 and Karlie Samuelson joins after coming off a season where she averaged a career-high 7.7 points per game.

The newest face for the Mystics is Canadian Aaliyah Edwards, who they drafted with the sixth overall pick. The team hopes to play her alongside Austin, creating a hard-to-beat athletic post duo. The Mystics look different than previous years, but their returning core and new faces all have something to prove.

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Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch summed up his team’s predicament in four simple words: “We need more saves.”

Unfortunately for the Oilers, Stuart Skinner has had a difficult time doing that in the playoffs. After allowing four goals on 15 shots through two periods Sunday, Skinner has an .877 save percentage in eight post-season starts. He let in 2.57 goals above expected in the Oilers’ 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, bringing his total in these playoffs to 8.46 (1.09 extra goals allowed per 60 minutes).

The Oilers have done their part defensively. Skinner has seen 16.9 scoring chances per 60 in the playoffs — the fewest among 20 goaltenders who have played at least 100 minutes. He has faced 14.7 scoring chances against per 60 in the second round.

Skinner’s playoff struggles date back to last season, when the then-rookie goaltender was pulled three times during Edmonton’s six-game series loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. He ranks near the bottom of several important categories over the past two post-seasons.

For whatever reason, Skinner, who won a franchise-record 12 consecutive games earlier this season and was voted to the league’s All-Rookie team in 2022-23, has been unable to carry over his regular-season success to the post-season.

On Sunday night, Knoblauch did not commit to starting Skinner in Game 4 on Tuesday. When asked about it Monday, Knoblauch said he will announce his starter Tuesday morning.

“We’ll see what he’s got in the future, whether that’s Game 4 or Game 5 or whatever it is,” Knoblauch told reporters after the loss Sunday. “But we’ll be seeing (Skinner) again, and we have no doubt that he’ll respond and play well.”

The Oilers have limited options. There is Calvin Pickard, who made his Stanley Cup playoff debut in relief of Skinner on Sunday and faced three shots. Knoblauch could also go with Jack Campbell, who allowed five goals on 35 shots in his lone playoff start for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors last month. Campbell allowed 20 goals in five early-season starts with the Oilers before being exiled to the minor leagues.

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Truthfully, Skinner is the best choice, and that is a problem for the Oilers. They do not have unlimited opportunities to win the Stanley Cup with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who have done all they can to bring it back to Edmonton.

If Skinner does not get his game in order, another Oilers season will be wasted.

“I’ve got to be able to find that … little bit more, that one more save,” Skinner told reporters Monday. “I believe that if I do that, I can just get in the flow of things and (will) be able to start playing better.”

All stats via Sportlogiq

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Defensive lineman Shawn Lemon has appealed his sports-gambling suspension and is back with the Montreal Alouettes.

Lemon filed his appeal Monday night and was on the field practising Tuesday at the CFL team’s training camp

“The CFL has been made aware of the CFLPA’s decision to grieve Shawn Lemon’s indefinite suspension for wagering on CFL games, including one in which he played. The CFL is disappointed that the Players’ Association would challenge a decision so fundamental to the integrity of our league,” commissioner Randy Ambrosie wrote in a statement.
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​”The league’s rules prohibiting CFL-related gambling in 2021 were made abundantly clear to all players at the time, yet Mr. Lemon knowingly ignored those rules. The prohibition of wagering on the CFL by CFL personnel, including players, is critical to the reputation and standing of the league. The CFL will vigorously defend its position at the arbitration hearing.”

The CFL indefinitely suspended Lemon on April 24 for betting on league games, including one the league says he played in.

The league said an investigation showed Lemon bet on games in 2021 while with the Calgary Stampeders but added there was no evidence to indicate games were impacted by his wagering.

“The Canadian Football League Players’ Association (CFLPA) has filed a grievance on behalf of Shawn Lemon challenging the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) decision to suspend him indefinitely,” the Alouettes said in a statement. “Consequently, Shawn was allowed to join the Alouettes at training camp today. The team continues to reiterate its support for the CFL’s regulations on gambling and will await the outcome of the CFL-led investigation. The Alouettes will not issue any further comments at this time regarding this situation.”

But by appealing the suspension, Lemon becomes eligible to resume practising and playing until such time as an arbitrator renders a decision on his appeal.

The Lemon saga adds to what’s already been a difficult time for the CFL.

Last week, the league suspended Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly from playing in the Argonauts’ two exhibition contests and at least nine regular-season games for violating its gender-based violence policy. Two days later, Kelly was on the field during the club’s rookie camp at the University of Guelph.

And then Friday night, the CFL Players’ Association launched an appeal against the CFL for denying it access to the full 87-page independent report following an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against Kelly. The union said it received an executive summary but requested access to the entire report as part of its due diligence of the Kelly ruling, only to be turned down by the league.

Kelly, 30, the CFL’s outstanding player last season, wasn’t in equipment and didn’t practise. Following the workout, Toronto GM Mike (Pinball) Clemons said Kelly’s presence was within the conditions of the CFL’s discipline but a league spokesman said Kelly was on the field at the Argos’ discretion.

Toronto opened training camp Sunday without Kelly, announcing the quarterback would not be participating in team activities.

The CFL’s suspension followed an independent investigation commissioned by the league into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against Kelly for sexual harassment and the club for wrongful dismissal.

Lemon, a three-time Grey Cup champion, announced his retirement two weeks before the league announced his suspension despite signing a one-year extension with Montreal during the off-season.

The 35-year-old from Charleston, S.C., helped Montreal defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28-24 in last year’s Grey Cup. The Alouettes went 12-4, including the playoffs, after signing Lemon, who had 26 tackles, nine sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble in 13 regular-season games. He also earned his 100th CFL sack last season.

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SAINT-ETIENNE, France (AP) — Storied French soccer club Saint-Étienne said on Monday it was in exclusive talks for a sale to Toronto businessman Larry Tanenbaum.

The full purchase of the 1976 European Cup finalist should be ratified within weeks, the club said in a statement four days before a key end-of-season game in its push to be promoted back to the top tier.

Tanenbaum is the chairman and a minority owner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns several major Toronto sports franchises including the NHL’s Maple Leafs and NBA’s Raptors.

He has been looking to make purchases outside of MLSE through Kilmer Group, his holding company. It was reported last week that Tanenbaum has secured a WNBA expansion franchise for the 2026 season.

“I know what Saint-Étienne represents for its community and for French football,” Tanenbaum said in the statement, calling the club from central France “the beating heart of a city and its region.”

Tanenbaum has attempted to enter the European soccer market before. In 2022 he joined with Boston Celtics owner Stephen Pagliuca and former captain John Terry in a failed bid to buy London-based Premier League club Chelsea.

Saint-Étienne is a 10-time champion of France, though not since 1981, when its star player was French great Michel Platini. Its 41,000-seat stadium is one of the venues for the men’s and women’s soccer tournaments at the Paris Olympics.

The pending deal was announced as Saint-Etienne prepares to end the second-tier regular season needing to win at Quevilly on Friday to stay in contention for a runner-up finish.

Saint-Étienne, which was relegated two years ago, is assured of at least a third-place finish and entry into a promotion playoffs bracket involving four teams.

The club said it wanted to “ensure an ambitious future” with a new owner that was “trusted, experienced and financially solid.”

Saint-Étienne said the deal was being negotiated for Kilmer by Ivan Gazidis, the former CEO of Arsenal and Inter Milan.

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