New Ontario Lacrosse Association policy barring playing in non-OLA events on hold

A new policy that would bar Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) team members from participating in non-OLA-sanctioned clubs or events has been put on hold for the 2024 season following criticism from the lacrosse community.

The non-sanctioned participation policy, which would affect players and officials alike, was posted to the OLA website in December but removed earlier this month, pending review by the league's commissioners.

Jeramie Bailey, executive director of the OLA, told CBC Indigenous in an emailed statement the policy was removed "to avoid any confusion while the league's commissioners make further recommendations over the next several months."

An online petition against the policy, which said it was discriminatory in several ways because of exceptions favouring expensive prep schools, garnered nearly 6,000 signatures. Lacrosse Canada issued a statement Dec. 29 saying its board of directors had "great concerns on the impact this has on our membership and the opportunities afforded to them."

Darcy Powless, general manager for the Haudenosaunee Nationals, said the OLA policy would take opportunities away from kids trying to play in front of scouts, or grow their game skills.

His nephew was to play in Albany, N.Y., in a U.S. box lacrosse tournament last weekend and he said his sister was worried her son would be suspended.

Powless said he hopes the OLA retracts the non-sanctioned participation policy but if it doesn't, he said there's a another option.

"We don't have a shortage of lacrosse players down here," he said.

"It's just a matter of reorganizing it and if we really had to, we could run our own house league program [or] a whole separate league outside of the OLA."

After getting tired of driving his sons