Photo courtesy: JOGO
Former CFL defensive back Moustafa Ali has passed away at the age of 59 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Born in Egypt and raised in Ottawa, Ali was selected by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with the 16th overall pick in the second round of the 1989 CFL Draft after a successful tenure at Carleton University. In 17 games as a rookie, he recorded 21 tackles and notched two interceptions from the safety position.
The six-foot-three, 200-pound defender split the next season between practice roster stints with Winnipeg, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and the Calgary Stampeders, where he played in eight games and returned one punt for four yards. He returned to the Bombers’ practice roster in 1991 and concluded his career with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1993.
Ali went on to have a successful career in sales, most recently in the IT sector with Omnissa. He also played club rugby following his retirement, suiting up for the Ottawa Beavers and Ottawa Harlequins.
He is survived by his daughters, Nadia and Lilianne, and their mother, Heather Burgess; his brother, Reg; his mother, Kim; his long-time partner Kathlyn Gauthier, and her daughters Jeanne and Clarisse.