COLD LAKE – The circumstances around an incident that occurred in Airdrie between the Cold Lake Fighter Jets amateur mens football team and the Airdrie Irish during a game on June 18 remain unclear.
Both teams compete in the Alberta Football League (AFL), which is made up of seven teams province wide.
On June 21, the Irish released a team statement on social media expressing disappointment in a physical altercation that erupted between players, fans, and coaches at the end of the game against Cold Lake.
"The Airdrie Irish are disappointed in the product put on the field (on June 18) against the Cold Lake Fighter Jets," read the Facebook statement, attributed to head coach Anton Bellot and Connor Lutz, who is the team president.
"Not because of the final score, but because of the actions taken by individuals during and following the scheduled game. The club holds its players, coaches, and fans accountable to a high standard of professional conduct, rooted in respect, integrity and honour for the game of football."
The statement went on to say that disciplinary action has been taken against its club members who were involved in a physical altercation.
"The incident involving physical altercation of players, coaches and fans following the game will not be tolerated and appropriate internal disciplinary action has been taken against club members following the process outlined in the team bylaws," the statement read.
"The club intends this action to set precedence for similar action to be taken by both the Cold Lake Fighter Jets organization and the Alberta Football League, ensuring a safe, fair and inclusive environment for all participants in Alberta Football League games."
The following day, June 22, the Fighter Jets posted a similar statement on their own Facebook page, attributed to Daniel Jubinville and Damen Schaub, president and general manager of the team.
The statement varied slightly, referencing that a verbal altercation had taken place.
“Following the incident(s) where verbal/physical altercations took place the appropriate internal disciplinary action has been taken,” the Fighter Jets statement outlined.
A report by AirdrieToday, a sister paper of Lakeland This Week, stated that the game ended with a bench-clearing brawl among players, staff, and attendees.
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This interpretation of the June 18 event doesn’t sit well with the Fighter Jets’ president.
“We are still evaluating the situation as there (has) been a grievance involving alleged players, some players that weren’t even present at the time of the events, so we’re trying to sort through who they are accusing,” Schaub told Lakeland This Week.
And while reports of a “bench-clearing brawl” were made to AirdrieToday, he asserts that no physical altercations were witnessed.
While the incident remains under investigation by AFL, Schaub declined to comment further on the matter.
However, the Fighter Jets will be rebutting some of the information put forward in a grievance made against members of their team.
In response to questions posed by AirdrieToday, a statement attributed to AFL president Vince Roth, stated that the AFL does not condone "any of the actions during and following Saturday night's game" between Airdrie and Cold Lake.
The written response noted that the AFL's representatives will be speaking to representatives from both teams and are also going over video footage of the game to try and accurately determine what happened.
"After that process is complete the league will take proper disciplinary actions towards those involved," the statement read. "We apologize to all in attendance and hope to finish the season with no further incidents."
While both the Fighter Jets and the Irish prevented people from commenting on their social media statements, comments made by members of the public on the Football League’s Facebook page denounced racially charged comments made both on the field and from the stands.
*With files from Scott Strasser/ AirdrieToday
