Today’s Four Questions interviewee is Gainesville athletic director Adam Lindsey, who helped argue his football team’s appeal on Tuesday of 39 player suspensions from last week’s 42-0 victory over Brunswick. This interview was the basis for an AJC Varsity story that ran Tuesday reporting that Gainesville will consider legal recourse to the suspensions.
The GHSA reinstated four players on appeal Tuesday. The suspensions resulted from an altercation in Friday night’s game. Brunswick had 41 players suspended and was banned from the 2026 postseason.
Gainesville is scheduled to play at Hughes on Friday night in the Class 5A quarterfinals.
1. What’s your reaction to the GHSA’s decision Tuesday to reinstate four players but leave 35 suspended?
“Obviously we’re disappointed. We really felt like this was a great opportunity for that group (the GHSA’s board of trustees) to take a common-sense approach to the ruling and to the bylaw they’re trying to invoke. We pointed out that nowhere in the bylaws does it say that if you step on the field that you’re immediately ejected. The GHSA is trying to make it a thing while also sending a dangerous message. If you’re getting beat and you want to make sure the other team doesn’t make it, start a fight and you’ll both be done. That was a clear message they sent by the original ruling. We’re very concerned about the repercussions of that.”
Note: GHSA bylaws lead: “All players who are involved in a fight and any substitutes who leave the bench area during a fight or potential fight and are ejected from the current contest, will be subject to the sit-out rule.” Lindsey pointed out that game officials did not eject any Gainesville players. He argues that since they were not ejected, they are not automatically subject to the sit-out rule and should be considered for reinstatement.
2. How would you suggest that the GHSA change the rules or interpret them in the future to handle these cases better?
“If the GHSA is going to review film, it can’t be a blanket ‘if you stepped on the field, you’re ejected.’ We’re asked to preach family and brotherhood, but when they act in that manner, we penalize them. Did this kid actually do anything? If he ran on the field, did that cause something? Try to determine intent. If he comes in and pulls players off one getting pummeled, we should applaud that. This was an example of not being protected by the officials. The fight started with two of our kids getting punched with their hands up. That should play into it. They backed up, walked away, everything they’re taught. They need to slow it down and determine intent. We have plenty of video that can be reviewed. It shouldn’t be a blanket statement, one size fits all.”
3. Is this over? Might Gainesville pursue legal action?
“We are absolutely going to exhaust every option we have. 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.”
4. What’s the mindset of the team now? How are the players doing?
“Obviously I can’t think of a bigger distraction to have to deal with. We’ve suggested to them to stay off social media. Knowing they’re teenagers, that’s probably not going to happen. Parents are probably not going to do that either. Our message to them is focus on the task at hand. Who’s available? How can we move forward? But they’re frustrated. They’re hurt. They feel they’re being cheated again by a system put in place to protect them.”
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