In
2006,
Calgary Stampeders officials barred Gainer from appearing on-field during their west division semi-final game against Saskatchewan, arguing that it would attract attention away from
their own mascot. In a 2019 game against the
B.C. Lions, the mascot was criticized for dragging a stuffed lion plush by its tail and grabbing it at its crotch. During the Roughriders'
2019 home opener on July 1, 2019, the team unveiled a new iteration of Gainer with a noticeably slimmer appearance and redesigned face with white eyes and green pupils. The new design was met with criticism from fans on social media, as well as former
premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall—who dubbed it "
midlife crisis Gainer", and joked that he had been on "some sort of
fad diet". The design was revised for the next home game on July 6, switching to black pupils; a video announcing the change featured Gainer throwing away green
contact lenses. == References ==