The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ decision to kick receiver Ajou Ajou off the team last week sets a positive example, says Jill Arnott, a women’s and gender studies professor at the University of Regina.
“This is how it starts. And so we need to hold up those models and those examples of change where we can, because that is how the change happens,” Arnott said in an interview with CBC.
“We’re talking about changing a culture that has allowed this and encouraged this kind of behavior and these attitudes for so long.”
An outside investigation concluded Ajou violated the CFL’s gender-based violence and harassment policy. He has been suspended by the CFL for the entire pre-season and at least six regular season games.
The league said he was aggressive and engaged in what it calls “unwelcome contact with women” at a Regina restaurant on the day of the Grey Cup parade in Regina in November 2025.
The league said it was made aware of multiple allegations in late January and immediately initiated the investigation, which it said included interviews with Ajou, multiple witnesses and complainants.
Arnott said the Riders’ decisions to have an outside party conduct the investigation and then swiftly oust Ajou after learning what it found shows the strength of the team’s leadership and makes its expectations for its internal culture clear.
Josh Haugerud, stakeholder engagement specialist for Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan (SASS), said he agrees the Riders’ quick action is an example for the rest of the CFL.
“They took some leadership and accountability in a situation that wasn’t great. And they’ve set the tone for their culture within their organization, but also for anybody who follows the Riders,” Haugerud said.
In a statement released April 16, Roughriders general manager Jeremy O’Day said the team does not tolerate gender-based violence or harassment and Ajou’s actions went directly against its values.
“We hold our players to a high standard, one that focuses on integrity and treating people with respect. He failed to meet that standard and is no longer a Roughrider.”
Haugerud said the Riders’ gender-based violence policy is a good starting place in terms of best practices. Regular education and training around the topic are an important part of building a safe and respectful culture in sports.
“It’s got to be beyond a policy, though,” the SASS advcoate said. “You need to really walk the walk, and the Riders did that in this case.”
Haugerud said the implementation of the policy also sets a good example for people in the province who see football players and other athletes as role models, especially young people and children.
“They should be held to a higher standard. It’s the same with anybody who’s in a leadership role within any organization, government, whatever it may be,” Haugerud said.
Organizations taking accountability has an effect on the rest of society, especially in a male-dominated industry like football.
“In workplaces and in organizations like the Riders, your culture is only as good as the worst behavior you’re going to tolerate. So yes, somebody might be a great worker, they might be a great salesperson for you, but if you’re going to tolerate poor behavior, you’re going to lose other people,” Haugerud said.
“When we see something like what the Riders just did, we see that their zero tolerance [mandate] actually means zero tolerance.”
Arnott said male-dominated sports have long had a reputation for maintaining silence around inappropriate sexual behaviour and patterns of toxic masculinity.
“That’s not in alignment with who men and boys are, right? That is something that is put upon them,” she said.
The industry can recover from these traditional and dangerous norms, but it won’t happen overnight, she said.
Ongoing training in the CFL needs to centre in part on bodily autonomy and consent, Arnott added.
“Do you even know what consent is? And do you understand that it can be revoked at any time? This stuff has to be talked about in a really real way.”
Consistent reporting from Statistics Canada shows Saskatchewan has the highest rates of sexual victimization in the country, including sexual harassment, sexual abuse and sexual assault.
The province also leads Canada in incidents of family violence, according to Statistics Canada. In 2024, it had a rate of 737 cases per 100,000 people. The national average is 349.
Haugerud said the Riders’ decision to fire Ajou will likely give future whistleblowers confidence to bring concerns of sexual assault and harassment forward, like the women who spoke out against the receiver’s behaviour at the restaurant
“Other players on that team are going to see that they may need to change some of their behaviors if they are doing something they shouldn’t be. And kids are going to see that, and they’re going to see that it’s something that they shouldn’t do.”
Both Haugerud and Arnott said they see the examples the Riders set as building blocks to generational change in Saskatchewan.
Arnott said it shows other industries they should get serious about their policies, support victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
Although the league could reinstate Ajou, the Riders have said he won’t be coming back to the green fold.
Ajou must also undergo 15 counselling sessions and a psychological assessment, and meet with the CFL commissioner before he can return.
