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Ajou Ajou has been released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders after a suspension from the CFL.
The league announced the slotback was suspended for both preseason contests and a minimum of six regular-season games after violating the league’s gender-based violence and harassment policy.
Shortly after the announcement, the team released the 24-year-old player.
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Riders general manager Jeremy O’Day said they were made aware of the allegations in late January against Ajou. O’Day said they immediately reached out to the league offices, who then initiated a third-party investigation which included interviews with Ajou, as well as with witnesses and complainants.
The league said the investigation revealed that on November 18, 2025, Ajou engaged in “aggressive and unwelcome physical contact with multiple women at a restaurant in Regina.”
“Once we received the information and results of the investigation, we decided to release Ajou as this was clearly a violation of our team’s code of conduct and the CFL’s gender-based violence and harassment policy,” O’Day said.
“We hold our players to a high standard. We don’t tolerate gender-based violence. Our expectation is our players and staff treat people with respect and integrity. These violations clearly did not meet that standard for our organization and they will not be tolerated.”
O’Day added he wouldn’t speculate whether additional charges would come, as he only knew what was happening at a team level.
The general manager said he had spoken with Ajou about his release.
“It’s not (a conversation) you look forward to having with him. It was just a sad conversation, but try to give him the information, talk it through with him a little bit and make him aware of the situation and let him know we were going to release him today,” O’Day said.
“Protecting the safety and well‑being of our communities is non‑negotiable,” CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston said in a news release.
“Our players are expected to lead with integrity and serve as role models. When improper conduct occurs, our policy is clear, and we will enforce it without exception. It is my hope that Mr. Ajou learns from this experience, and that other players take this unfortunate situation as a reminder of the standards we uphold.”
O’Day said it did occur on the day the team’s Grey Cup parade was held.
“Our players were out celebrating a Grey Cup championship and it is unfortunate it happened at all,” O’Day said. He later stated no other player was under investigation.
“We talk about how to handle yourself in the community such as training on substance abuse … Our whole team was probably out that night and a large majority of them understand what it’s like to be in the community and handle yourself in the community and the expectations that are required to be a professional athlete and how you should be out in the public.
“Difficult challenge with the combination of celebrating a Grey Cup but our expectations don’t change because we’re celebrating,” O’Day said.
In order to be reinstated, Ajou will need to complete a process that includes a minimum of 15 mandatory counselling sessions conducted by a gender-based violence expert, a psychological assessment by another independent expert and a meeting with Johnston. If he is unable to complete the process, the CFL can modify his discipline.
Even if Ajou were to be reinstated, O’Day said they would not sign him.
Ajou was selected by the Riders in the seventh round (59th overall) in the 2024 CFL Draft. He was named the team’s rookie of the year after catching 20 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns. He turned that into a brief stint with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025.
He returned to the Riders last season and played in eight regular-season games and started in the 2026 Grey Cup, which the Riders won.
