By Canadian Press

CFLPA president Elimimian backs CFL participation in Olympic flag football

May 16, 2025 | 2:44 PM

CFLPA president Solomon Elimimian is among those supporting CFL players participating in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.

Flag football will make its Olympic debut in L.A., and next week, NFL owners will discuss a resolution to allow their players to compete.

Elimimian says the CFL and its players’ union have also discussed the possibility of Canadian players taking part. While those talks are still in the early stages, he’s optimistic that a deal can be reached that would allow Canadians to suit up at the Games.

“We’ve had discussions and they’re ongoing in terms of how to make this work because I think both parties would support it,” Elimimian said. “It’s just logistically, how to make it work?

“Having our Canadian talent on the world stage would be important for the country, Canadian football and Canadian sports overall because you’re talking about reaching the grassroots. Can you imagine if Canada was able to pull off a gold medal? That would be incredible.”

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Having the CFL brand on the global stage of the Olympics would be just as significant. In hockey, Canada-U.S. has become a heated rivalry, and Elimimian believes flag football could follow a similar path.

“Oh man, that would definitely be exciting,” he said. “When you look at the talented players we have in the CFL and you say this one plays for the Calgary Stampeders or the B.C. Lions, that’s important for the CFL brand.

“We have tremendous athletes, and guys are excited because they want to compete.”

The NFL resolution would allow for no more than one player from each team to participate in Los Angeles. Clubs would also designate an international player to represent their country.

That could benefit Canada, given the number of Canadian skill-position players currently in the NFL — including receivers Josh Palmer (Buffalo Bills) and John Metchie III (Houston Texans), both from Brampton, Ont., and Jared Wayne of Peterborough, Ont., who’s also with the Texans.

Elimimian said CFL players have approached him and the union with questions about the Olympic plan — and he has no doubt they could help Canada field a highly competitive squad in Los Angeles.

“We have tremendous Canadian talent,” he said. “Guys are playing south, guys are playing in Canada, you have top-level quarterbacks like Tre Ford (Edmonton Elks), Nathan Rourke (B.C. Lions) and now Taylor Elgersma (NFL’s Green Bay Packers).

“You’re seeing top-tier talent at all positions and levels, we just have to find a way to make it work. I see this as a good thing and, yes, there are challenges but we shouldn’t shy away from it.”

A definite challenge would be timing as the Games would be held after the start of the 2028 CFL season. The union and league would also have to look at tweaking their collective bargaining agreement to make the Olympics a reality for Canadian professional players.

On Thursday, the CFL said it would welcome its players competing in Los Angeles.

“It would be incredible to see CFL players compete at the 2028 Olympics,” the CFL said in a statement. “Despite the challenge of the Games taking part midway through our season, participation remains our goal — and the CFL is fully committed to finding a way to make it happen.”

Flag football is much different than the tackle version. But Elimimian said many professional players grew up playing flag football, and that game does translate to tackle.

Elimimian enjoyed a decorated CFL career with the B.C. Lions (2010—11, 2012—18) and Saskatchewan Roughriders (2019). He was named the league’s top rookie in 2010, won top defensive player honours in 2014 and 2016, and in 2014 became the first purely defensive player to be named the CFL’s most outstanding player.

“Once I got on the field for tackle football, it came naturally,” said Elimimian. “That’s because many of the skills I learned playing flag football translated to tackle.”

Canada’s national men’s squad must still qualify for the ’28 Games. But head coach Paul LaPolice does have pro coaching experience, most notably as a CFL head coach with Winnipeg (2010-12) and Ottawa (2021-22).

“If you watch flag football, a lot of it is talent, but a lot of it is schematics and coaching and putting your pieces in the right place to exploit the opposing side,” Elimimian said. “Having played against Paul LaPolice, he’s very creative, he knows how to coach professional athletes, and he’s respected.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2025.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press