The BC Lions suffered a crushing defeat in the Western final on Saturday, but what followed was much worse.
After the loss, offensive lineman Andrew Pearson shared X that a teammate's spouse received online death threats as a result of the game.
“Obviously words cannot describe how completely upset I am at the outcome and I usually keep my comments to myself but it is completely unacceptable to send death threats to a footballer's wife/partner.” he wrote. “They've been through enough this season and they don't deserve this.”
The Lions confirmed that the incident occurred on social media and that the team is investigating it, although they declined to say which player was injured. Head coach Buck Pierce was both emotional and emphatic in his response Sunday.
“This should never happen. This should never happen on any social media platform,” he said. “These guys are people who deserve to be treated a certain way. It actually disgusts me.”
The Lions lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders 24–21 in the Western final, seeing their Gray Cup dreams dashed. on Tommy Neild's controversial late touchdown. BC led by four points with less than three minutes remaining, but was down two and eliminated on consecutive offensive possessions and failed to stop the Riders' seven-play, 76-yard winning drive..
Defender Nathan Rourke said he was aware of the threats but believed they were sent by a Saskatchewan supporter rather than a BC fan upset about the loss. Regardless of who was behind the threats, their implementation was unacceptable.
“I just don't think that has a place in this game. I think there are a lot of great fans in the league, but obviously these comments crossed the line,” Rourke said. “I don't think anyone should be put in that position, especially a spouse or partner. I was very outraged and dumbfounded at how inappropriate these comments were. I think the club will do everything they can to make sure things like this are taken care of and those affected are taken care of.”
CFL introduced a code of conduct for fans following a physical altercation between fans and players in the 2021 Eastern Final.which may result in ejection from the venue or ban from tickets. However, this policy only applies to crimes committed in person at the stadium, and anonymous threats on social media are much more difficult to confirm and respond to.
Making threats, including through online messages, is a criminal offense in Canada. A summary conviction can result in up to two years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine, while the more serious charge of threats to cause death or bodily harm carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
