DENMARK’S MICHEL ‘JUNIOR’ KONATE AND NORWAY’S LEO KRAFFT HEADED TO CFL COMBINE PRESENTED BY NEW ERA
Running back and defensive lineman advance following CFL Global Combine in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (February 29, 2020) – Running back Michel ‘Junior’ Konate from Denmark and defensive lineman Leo Krafft from Norway have been extended invitations to showcase their skills for Canadian Football League (CFL) general managers, coaches and scouts at the CFL Combine presented by New Era in Toronto from March 26-28. The pair were among 10 players who took part in the CFL Global Combine in Copenhagen, conducted in association with the Danish Dansk Amerikansk Fodbold Forbund (DAFF) and the Norwegian Norges Amerikanske Idretters Forbund (NAIF) Football.
“Copenhagen was the sixth and final CFL Global Combine in Europe and this journey has been eye-opening,” said CFL Chief Financial Officer and Head of Football Operations, Greg Dick. “Across the entire region, the skill we’ve seen and the players we’ve met have been absolutely incredible. The DAFF and NAIF Football created a first-class experience and we look forward to returning next year.”
“Hosting a CFL Combine in Copenhagen was very special and it would have been unthinkable just a few years ago,” said Lars Carlsen, Director of Sport for the DAFF. “I was able to attend BC Lions training camp in 2018 as a guest coach, so I know very well what the CFL has to offer and its level of play. We’re looking forward to one day seeing the first Danish player in the league and we’ll follow the combine with great excitement and hope, cheering for Michel.”
Jorgen Benestad-Johansen, Sports Manager for NAIF Football, echoed Mr. Carlsen’s sentiments regarding the exciting path ahead as the game continues to grow on a global scale.
“The CFL seemed at a far reach not long ago. For our players, just competing for a spot is a great honour. Hopefully, this will be the first of many opportunities for Norwegian players like Leo to show what they are made of. I am very proud of their efforts and so thankful that the CFL and these global combines are shining the spotlight on strong international talent.”
During the 2019 season, CFL rosters featured, for the first time ever, one designated ‘global player’ from outside the U.S. and Canada on each team’s active roster and as many as two more on their practice rosters. In 2020, the number of global players per team will increase to two on the active roster and up-to-three on the practice roster, with as many as 45 global players competing in the league.
Following the two remaining CFL Global Combines in Brazil and Mexico, the full list of global players invited to Toronto will be announced. Information regarding media availability during the CFL Combine can be found here. The 2020 CFL Global Draft will take place on April 16.
GLOBAL PLAYERS INVITED TO THE CFL COMBINE PRESENTED BY NEW ERA
| Name | Position | Country | League |
| Aguemon, Jason | RB | France | LEFA (France) |
| Anderson, Tony * | DB | France | NAIA |
| Billy, Bryan | DB | France | LEFA (France) |
| Breidenbach, Sven * | OL | Germany | GFL (Germany) |
| Dalle Piagge, Lorenzo * | DL | Italy | IFL (Italy) |
| Engstrom, Malcolm | DL | Sweden | Superserien (Sweden) |
| Illetschko, Dustin 1 | LB | Austria | GFL (Germany) |
| Izinyon, David * | LB | Great Britain | GFL2 (Germany) |
| James, William * | DB | Sweden | GFL (Germany) |
| Kensy, Marius | LB | Germany | GFL (Germany) |
| Konate, Michel ‘Junior’ | RB | Denmark | Nationalliga (Denmark) |
| Krafft, Leo 3 | DL | Norway | NAIF (Norway) |
| Kyei, Micky * | WR | Finland | GFL (Germany) |
| Lee, Taku * | RB | Japan | X-League (Japan) |
| Liesen, Niklas * | LB | Germany | GFL (Germany) |
| Machino, Tomoya * | OL | Japan | KCAFL (Japan) |
| Madin Cerezo, Jean-Claude 1 | WR | Spain | GFL2 (Germany) |
| Mahoungou, Anthony * | WR | France | GFL (Germany) |
| Mbeleg-Toonga, Glen | RB | Great Britain | GFL (Germany) |
| Milanovic, Aleksandar 2 | OL | Austria | AFL (Austria) |
| Omi, Yoshihito | WR | Japan | X-League (Japan) |
| Posunko, Oleksandr 1 | DB | Ukraine | GFL2 (Germany) |
| Rodney, Justin | RB | Germany | GFL (Germany) |
| Sagne, Sebastien * | WR | Finland | GFL (Germany) |
| Takaya, Ryota | DL | Japan | X-League (Japan) |
| Yamagishi, Akio | LB | Japan | X-League (Japan) |
* Recipient of a direct invitation following a CFL Global Combine
1 Attended the CFL Global Combine in Frankfurt, Germany
2 Attended the CFL Global Combine in Florence, Italy
3 Attended the CFL Global Combine in Copenhagen, Denmark
CFL GLOBAL COMBINE SCHEDULE
| Date | Location |
| March 7 | Belo Horizonte, Brazil |
| March 15 | Mexico City, Mexico |
The CFL regular season kicks off on Thursday, June 11 with the Edmonton Eskimos hosting the BC Lions at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium. Friday Night Football debuts with a doubleheader on June 12 with the Toronto Argonauts visiting the Ottawa REDBLACKS before the Montreal Alouettes take on the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium. The season’s opening week concludes with a Saturday night prime-time rematch of the 107th Grey Cup as the defending champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers travel to Hamilton to face the Tiger-Cats.