Winnipeg Blue Bombers among CFL teams fined for salary cap violations – Winnipeg

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were among four teams that exceeded the CFL’s salary cap last season, the league announced Friday.

The others were the Montreal Alouettes, Ottawa Redblacks and Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts.

The Argos edged the Blue Bombers 24-23 in the Grey Cup game at Regina last November.

Bombers president Wade Miller owned up to the infraction Friday.

“We acknowledge that we exceeded the CFL’s Salary Management System cap,” Miller said.

“We had an unprecedented number of injuries in 2022 and did not want to sacrifice putting a competitive football team on the field.”

The CFL’s salary cap last season was $5.35 million. The teams were fined the exact amount by which they exceeded the cap.

Montreal was fined $794 while Ottawa’s penalty was $11,994. Toronto will have to pay $49,735 while Winnipeg will be forced to ante up $64,499.

Since no team exceeded the cap by more than $100,000, the league said the squads would not lose any picks in the upcoming CFL draft.

The CFL’s salary cap for 2023 increases to $5.45 million.

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