EDMONTON – An eye for an eye, spit for a spit. Quebec’s Pier-Olivier Lestage bitterly regrets spitting in an Elks player’s face during the Alouettes’ 35-21 win Saturday in Edmonton, even though it was in response to a similar gesture.
“I need to be able to control my emotions better,” the Alouettes offensive player admitted ruefully after the game. The opponent spat in my face and I spat back. He did it two centimeters from my face and I was a little further away…”
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Lestage was therefore the one caught by the referees early in the fourth quarter, resulting in his ejection from the game and a 25-yard penalty.
“These things happen and I have to be smarter than the other club,” Lestage added. I also have to think in terms of my team and never do that again because it was expensive.”
“Unacceptable”
Head coach Jason Maas, who was particularly pleased that his team had overcome an 18-point deficit and finally won, strongly condemned his protégé’s gesture.
“A football player doesn’t spit on an opponent, there’s always a reason why that happens, but there’s no good reason to do that,” Maas said. It’s a lack of respect, it’s unacceptable and PO knows it.”
“No matter what happens, you have to rise above the situation because it can harm the team,” the coach continued. I know PO feels sorry for his teammates, you let them down when you get kicked out of a game… I like PO, I like the way he works and what he brings to the team. Because of what happened in that game, he is now a better football player and a better person.
Lestage could only accept his coach’s words.
“I don’t think something like this will happen again,” concluded the 26-year-old athlete.