CFL keen to avoid labour dispute

Canadian Football League commissioner Mark Cohon says he's seeking a negotiated labour settlement that's fair to all parties for when the players' current collective agreement expires next year.

Cohon made the comment in a statement released to the media Friday in response to two league sources telling The Canadian Press that the CFL Players' Association is visiting with teams to discuss a potential lockout.

The two sides head into the off-season looking to secure a new collective bargaining agreement.

The present deal expires the day before the start of training camp in 2010, and preliminary talks are underway.

"We are now in the midst of the collective bargaining process," Cohon said. "It would be inappropriate to comment further on that process, except to say that our goal is a negotiated settlement that's in the best interests of our fans, our players, our member clubs and our league."

Negotiations are expected to heat up over the winter.