CFL stars invited to first professional flag football camp ahead of 2028 Olympics

CALGARY · Twenty CFL players have been invited to Canada's first professional national flag football team camp, a key step toward the sport's Olympic debut in 2028. The camp will run from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5 in Chula Vista, Calif., and will educate players on the rules and nuances of international flag football. The Canadian men's flag team qualified for the 2028 Los Angeles Games by finishing third at the world championships last year, while the women's team won gold. The CFL, its clubs and the CFL Players' Association have agreed to terms allowing players to participate and providing them with insurance coverage during the camp.

CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston said the initiative gives players a chance to pursue Olympic dreams. "Our goal was simple _ give CFL players the opportunity to pursue their dreams of representing their country," Johnston said. "Thanks to the collaboration of our clubs and the CFLPA, that opportunity now exists. This is a meaningful step for our players and for the growth of the game in Canada."

Among the invitees are Edmonton Elks defensive back Tyrell Ford and Montreal Alouettes receiver Tyson Philpot, who are playing in Sunday's Grey Cup. Both players have twin brothers also invited to the camp. Jalen Philpot is a receiver with the Calgary Stampeders, and Tre Ford is a quarterback with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Tyrell Ford led the CFL with seven interceptions this season, while Tyson Philpot led the league in catches (124), yards (1,809) and was tied for most touchdowns (13).

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The camp roster includes nine defensive backs, seven receivers and three quarterbacks. The defensive backs are Alonzo Addae (Ottawa), Christophe Beaulieu (B.C.), Malcolm Bell (Hamilton), Tevaughn Campbell (Saskatchewan), Jackson Findlay (B.C.), Adrian Greene (Calgary), Ashton Miller-Melancon (Calgary) and Stavros Katsantonis (Hamilton). The receivers are Nic Demski (Winnipeg), Samuel Emilus (Saskatchewan), Justin McInnis (B.C.), Kevin Mital (Toronto), Kian Schaffer-Baker (Saskatchewan) and Keelan White (Ottawa). The quarterbacks are Nathan Rourke (B.C.) and Taylor Elgersma (Winnipeg).

David Mackie, executive director of the CFLPA, said the union fully supports the opportunity. "I think it's a fantastic opportunity for our membership," Mackie said. "But the key word is opportunity, they still have to earn their spot on the roster. It's going to provide tremendous visibility for those members, the stars of the game, but the league as well. To have CFL players on the world stage at the Olympics would just be amazing for both the players and league." He added that players injured at camp would be covered as if it were a CFL injury.

The 2028 Olympics will occur during the CFL regular season, but Johnston said the league does not plan to pause play. "Right now, there is no plan to pause our season," Johnston said. "We think our league and our teams are strong enough to play through the Olympics. The Olympic teams, let's face it, they're not large teams (10 total players) so this won't be a huge portion of our players. We think with creative scheduling of our bye weeks we can mitigate the impact of some of our stars potentially missing some games." Union president Solomon Elimimian said CFL players who compete in Los Angeles will continue to be paid by their clubs. The Canadian men's flag team is coached by longtime CFL coach Paul LaPolice. Both the CFL and NFL have agreed to allow their players to participate in the Olympic Games. The camp will focus on teaching the rules, techniques, concepts and schemes of the international flag football game under the guidance of Team Canada coaches.

With files from The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail and Sportsnet