Rob Ford out as football coach at Don Bosco

Rob Ford is no longer the head football coach at Don Bosco high school, the Toronto Catholic District School Board says.

Director of education Bruce Rodrigues said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon,  “This decision was based on what is best for our students, our school and the Don Bosco community.”

The statement added: “We recognize and respect that the Mayor’s first commitment is to the priorities of the taxpayers and citizens of the City of Toronto.”

The board thanked Ford for his contribution to the team and his many years of service. It cited “pursuing a different direction with a new volunteer head coach” as the reason for the decision.

The news comes after reports surfaced last Thursday by the Toronto Star and Gawker.com that their journalists  were shown a video being shopped around in which a person, who appeared to be the mayor, was doing drugs.

The board told 680News that the decision is not related to the drug use allegations.

Instead, the board said Ford was let go due to an interview with Sun News.

In the March interview, Ford said the football players would not attend school had it not been for the team, that the players “come from gangs” and that the school is in a rough area.

Ford, who has coached the Don Bosco Eagles since 2001, has yet to speak about his dismissal.

Last October, Ford came under fire when allegations surfaced that he had used TTC buses to transport Don Bosco football players back to their school after an altercation reportedly broke out between the opposing team’s coach and a referee.

In the end Toronto police said a sergeant had ordered the buses and that Ford had nothing to do with the decision.

With files from 680News

Read the TCDSB’s full statement below

Toronto Catholic District School Board statement re Mayor Rob Ford by CityNewsToronto