Gainesville to consider legal action after GHSA ruling on players’ suspensions
Gainesville might seek legal action over the Georgia High School Association’s decision Tuesday to keep 35 Gainesville football players suspended for Friday’s quarterfinal football game against Hughes, Gainesville High athletic director Adam Lindsey told the AJC.
“We are absolutely going to exhaust every option we have,” Lindsey said. “We’re certainly consulting with the school system attorney to determine our options. We don’t think it’s the right thing to do, to give up on our kids, so we’re going to fight and do everything we can to protect our kids like they did to protect each other on the field.”
Asked if that specifically meant filing a lawsuit or seeking an injunction, Lindsey said, “We’re certainly going to seek out whether that is an option for us.”
The GHSA suspended 39 Gainesville players and 41 Brunswick players and fined both schools $5,000 for a fight that began with 1:57 left in the third quarter of a game Gainesville led 42-0. The game was stopped and Gainesville declared the winner.
Brunswick was also given a one-year postseason ban for the football program.
Gainesville appealed 35 of the suspensions. The GHSA’s board of trustees voted to reinstate four on Tuesday.
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