MONTREAL — McGill all-star football player Luis-Andres Guimont-Mota was arraigned on charges of assault and uttering threats on Thursday afternoon, and was released on $300 bail under various conditions.
He was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after a 21-year-old woman reported she had been assaulted.
According to authorities, the case is linked to an alleged incident of domestic violence. Police told Global News that the 22-year-old man is married, but divorce proceedings are underway.
Guimont-Mota’s lawyer claimed his client was the victim and not the aggressor. Steve Hanafi said he believes that McGill University acted too quickly in suspending his client from the football team and didn’t know all the facts of the case.
He also said Guimont-Mota is considering filing a cross-complaint against his estranged wife.
McGill University confirmed in a statement on Wednesday night that a member of the Redmen football team had been suspended.
“In line with the University’s varsity athletics guidelines, effective immediately, this player is suspended from the football team pending resolution of his case by the Court,” said Deputy-Provost Ollivier Dyens.
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The business management student is in his third season as a running back with the McGill Redmen.
In 2013, he was awarded the Dan Pronyk Memorial Trophy, was the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) conference all-star and rushing champion and received a $1,500 scholarship from the Montreal Alouettes Bursary Program.
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Originally from Quebec City, Guimont-Mota played there for the Cegep Garneau.
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Guimont-Mota was previously convicted of aggravated assault in 2010 in Quebec City and was sentenced to 90 days in prison and 24 hours of community service.
The judge apparently allowed the player to serve his sentence on Sundays, so that his football career would not be adversely affected and he could take part in training and games on Saturdays.
In 2011, three members of McGill’s football team were accused of sexually assaulting a former Concordia University student and are currently awaiting trial.
— With a file from The Canadian Press
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