The former strength and conditioning coach for the Toronto Argonauts has made revisions to her lawsuit against the team and quarterback Chad Kelly. Initially filed in February, the amendments were made in early April.
She is seeking $50,000 from Kelly for violations of the Ontario Human Rights Code and jointly suing Kelly and the Toronto Argonauts for $85,714 for wrongful dismissal. Additionally, she is pursuing $10,000 in punitive damages.
In the amended lawsuit, it’s asserted that Kelly, being a prominent athlete and role model in Canadian football, should face special reprimand from the court for his behavior, which allegedly lacked respect towards women.
Kelly’s lawyer, Nancy Shapiro, stated that they believe the claims against him lack merit and are taking steps to defend against them.
The allegations claim that the Argonauts failed to address Kelly’s alleged harassment of the coach as he pursued a romantic relationship with her. The incidents are said to have occurred between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, with one instance referred to as the “Bills incident” in October 2022.
During this incident, Kelly allegedly pressured the coach and others to attend a Buffalo Bills game, expressing irritation when she involved General Manager Michael “Pinball” Clemons.
Further allegations include Kelly making inappropriate comments and behaving aggressively towards the coach, with the team allegedly failing to take appropriate action despite being informed of the situation.
Despite these allegations, Kelly remains listed as the starting quarterback for the Argonauts for the upcoming 2024 season. The CFL has initiated a private investigation into the matter. Kelly signed a lucrative three-year contract extension with the Argonauts in August, making him the highest-paid player in the CFL.
