Commissioner Orridge statement on Noel Thorpe matter

TORONTO -- The Canadian Football League has announced the following statement:

Commissioner Jeffrey L. Orridge has done a thorough and complete investigation of the facts surrounding the Noel Thorpe matter and has determined that Thorpe’s purported resignation from his contract with the Montreal Alouettes on Tuesday December 15, 2015 in order to secure a coaching position with the Edmonton Eskimos was invalid based on the terms of his contract with Montreal and the existing by-laws of the CFL.  

Thorpe is currently still under contract to Montreal and is not free to resign from his existing contract to accept employment from Edmonton, or any other CFL Club, unless written permission is received from Montreal in advance and subject to the current protocol of advance approval from the League office.

Commissioner Orridge has also determined that Edmonton did not violate the existing CFL by-laws and will not be subject to any discipline in this matter.