Lacrosse Canada confirms new policy for participation in non-sanctioned events

As first reported by The Lax Mag earlier this week, Lacrosse Canada today confirmed that they have indeed added a new policy for players who “play or participate in any non-approved competition”.

The policy was approved by LC Member Associations at their annual general meeting on November 21st. MAs will now be required to implement & manage this new policy within their own province. Currently, the Saskatchewan Lacrosse Association is the only MA with an approved & published policy of their own. It is anticipated remaining LC MAs will be doing the same soon.

The LC policy reads:

5.1.2 Domestically and internationally, no registered participant, Jr and under, may play or participate in any non-approved competition, namely any competitions non-approved by World Lacrosse or any of its National Governing Bodies (NGB) including Lacrosse Canada (LC), and Provincial or Territorial Sport Organization (P/TSO) without first obtaining the permission of their LC Member Association. Any participation in non-sanctioned events will result in loss of eligibility for all National Championships and Team Canada events.

LC also specifically addressed the IIJL World Junior Championships scheduled for August 8-14, 2022 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and the non-LC-affiliated Canadian Lacrosse League that operates the Canadian program that competes in IIJL events.

The statement indicates that, “…any regional combine that is being run by this organization, CLL (Canadian Lacrosse League) is not a LC sanctioned event. The CLL (Canadian Lacrosse League) is NOT an entity of Lacrosse Canada.

“All Member Associations (MA’s) under LC should not be sanctioning nor supporting the event in anyway. WL is the recognized World Body for Lacrosse and is the only lacrosse body that can sanction World Championships. LC and its MA’s, as members of WL and also of Sport Canada, support WL.”

LC had in previous years sent communication to the CLL demanding them to cease the managing & marketing of their group as “Team Canada” and requested MAs not to endorse or promote these non-affiliated teams or events. This is the first time a policy has been implemented to enforce this directive.

Although the Ontario Lacrosse Association has yet to approve and publish their own similar policy, it is expected that when they do, any players eventually competing in the Tewaaraton Lacrosse League would also be jeopardizing any future participation in LC National Championships and Team Canada events.

Click here to see today’s full statement from LC.

Update (Dec. 12): WL released a similar statement as LC regarding the IIJL event. See it here.