Canada Basketball faces lawsuit over former national team player's alleged injury

TSN Senior Correspondent

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Former Canadian national team basketball player Carl English is suing Canada Basketball for more than $400,000 after allegedly suffering an injury during a practice in 2013 that caused him to lose out on several job opportunities.

English filed his lawsuit on Nov. 25, 2021. It has not been reported before now. His seven-page statement of claim says he is seeking $425,473.50 plus interest from Canada Basketball and the Canadian Basketball Foundation, a registered charitable organization dedicated to growing basketball in Canada.

A native of St. John’s, N.L., English, 41, played college basketball at the University of Hawaii from 1999 to 2003 before playing professionally in the U.S. and throughout Europe. In 2013, while he was playing in Spain, English was invited to a Canadian national team training camp.

In July 2013, according to his lawsuit, English signed a declaration form indicating that the value of his upcoming contract was 260,000 Euros. The lawsuit does not provide details of English’s contract.

“On Aug. 5, 2013, during a team practice, [English] sustained an injury to his right elbow,” says English’s statement of claim. “On Aug. 18, 2013, [English] again sustained additional trauma to his right elbow at practice, which ultimately prevented [English] from further participation with the Canadian senior men’s basketball team. [English] had surgery on his elbow on Sept. 7, 2013, for a bursal excision and a triceps tendon tear.”

English later had to undergo rehabilitation and lost out on job opportunities in basketball, his claim says. He played for Canada in the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. Blair Rogers, English’s lawyer, declined to comment.

Canada Basketball spokesman