Known for their groundbreaking "Be More Than a Bystander" campaign, members of the B.C. Lions football team say they agree with the punishment meted out to Ray Rice, the Baltimore Ravens' star caught on camera punching his then fiancée, Janey Palmer, in an elevator.
"I think it's great," J.R. LaRose told CBC News when asked about the NFL's decision to ban Rice.
"A man should never put his hands on a woman."
LaRose—who called the video "very disturbing"—said he was glad that the CFL had also banned Rice, and that the Ravens had cancelled his contract.
"I support it one hundred per cent."
Quarterback Kevin Glenn agreed.
"That kind of stuff is not allowed in this society," he said. "I have a daughter, a mother, a wife—I don't want anything like that to happen to them.
"Whatever punishment they give him, it's deserving."
Campaign to end violence
The B.C. Lions teamed up with the Ending Violence Association of B.C. in 2011 to launch "Be More Than a Bystander", a campaign designed to bring public awareness to the issue of violence against women, with a strong schools outreach component.
Many of the players—including LaRose and Travis Lulay—have recorded video messages encouraging men to speak up if they see another male acting abusively towards a woman or girl.
In Lulay's video he offers a number of ways a guy may intervene if he sees something inappropriate going on, including, "She's clearly not enjoying what you're doing, man. Knock it off."
Watch the full Travis Lulay video. On mobile? Click here.
Rice had been serving a two-game suspension from the NFL for the incident, which became public in February when TMZ posted a video showing the football player dragging an unconscious Janay Palmer out of an elevator.
The video released Monday is considerably more graphic. Rice is shown striking Palmer, who hits him back before Rice knocks her to the ground with a punch. When the elevator door opens, Rice drags her out.
The Ravens subsequently cancelled Rice's contract, and the NFL banned him from playing in the league. The CFL then said that ban extended to Canada.