Riders president shares disappointment with fans over fines

Craig Reynolds gets it.

The President and CEO of the Saskatchewan Roughriders says he knows that fans must not be feeling too good about the latest set of fines levied against the green and white. In fact, he feels the same way.

“I share their disappointment,” Reynolds said to reporters Saturday afternoon at the opening of the new Rider Store at Mosaic Stadium. “We’ve talked about it internally and we don’t expect this to happen again … we have to turn the page and move forward.”

The latest fines come after the CFL audited and reviewed the league bylaws. The CFL found the Roughriders violated two of the league’s bylaws, one related to “players attending practice while on the CFL suspension list” and another violation “related to the recruitment of a junior player.”

Head coach and general manager Chris Jones was also personally fined $5000 for speaking with the agent of former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel. Manziel is on Hamilton’s negotiation list making it illegal for any other team to speak with him or his representation.

The latest fines bring the amount the club has paid out for breaking the rules to $111,500 not including Jones’ personal fine or the $26,000 reduction to the cap from roster violations earlier in the year.

Reynolds said he knows that issues like this do not reflect well on the club.

“As a community owned team we hold ourselves to a high standard and just because we have a brand new store and sell lots of merchandise doesn’t mean you go and spend money on fines,” he said.

Reynolds stressed that he has talked to Jones about what’s happened and they’re ready to turn the page on it, but added, this was the first time in his career that Jones was in control of football operations.

“I’m not going to comment on Chris’s performance publicly this way but obviously it’s a bit of a learning curve, as well, he’s a new GM … but he understands his role and he understands the way we need to move forward.”