After deadline passes football players begin transferring to other universities
After giving the University of Waterloo a deadline of 1pm today, that came and went, to reverse a decision to cancel the 2010 football season, players are giving up. The program was suspended for a year after nine players tested positive for, or admitted to using, steroids. The unprecedented move of testing an entire football team was prompted by the arrest of receiver Nathan Zettler, who is charged with drug trafficking.
Yesterday, captains representing the 53 clean players pleaded with university administrators to reinstate the season, otherwise players would begin transferring to other universities. Earlier in the week, Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) announced that players wishing to play football elsewhere were free to apply to other schools. The university didn’t budge, and players have begun the transfer process.
The University of Waterloo Warriors football team will spend the upcoming season training, and will return to the CIS schedule next year. Administrators have said they will no longer be providing media comment until a review of the program and how it approaches drug use is completed.