Proposed rule changes address safety, accuracy

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This article was published 02/03/2012 (5277 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE CFL rules committee, of which Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul LaPolice is a voting member, is recommending two new rules to the league board of governors with the hope of increasing accuracy and player safety.

The first one will see all scoring plays — touchdowns, field goals, converts, singles and safeties — subject to review by the replay official in the Command Centre in Toronto. The rule is similar to the one the NFL adopted last season for touchdowns.

“When considering these types of changes, we also must consider the flow of the game and the duration of any challenge,” CFL director of officiating Tom Higgins said in a release Thursday. “For the vast majority of scoring plays, we believe that the replay official will confirm the scoring plays before the next play without a delay.”

The rules committee, made up of coaches, general managers, team presidents, league officials and a member of the players’ association, is also proposing a change that would see the play automatically blown dead when a ball carrier’s helmet comes off.

To take this initiative a step further, if another player’s helmet comes off (non-ball carrier), that individual would be subject to a 10-yard illegal participation penalty if he remained involved in the play.

If a player hits that opponent who isn’t participating because he lost his helmet, a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness will be issued.

The new rules were discussed at the CFL Congress in Toronto Thursday. The board of governors will vote on the proposed changes in the spring.

— Adam Wazny