Toronto, ON (My Sportsbook) - Canadian Football League commissioner Mark Cohon has denied the Montreal Alouettes their formal protest regarding the events in the closing minutes of their 19-12 loss to the BC Lions last Friday.

With roughly one minute left in the game, the Als netted a first down on 3rd- and-1, though the play was brought back as BC coach Wally Buono had called timeout before the snap.

On the replay of the down, Avon Cobourne scored a touchdown to tie the game, but officials deemed the down to be re-played once again after the official time was not re-set correctly.

The Als, on their third try, failed to net a first down and lost by seven points.

Montreal protested the outcome, and after an extensive review of the events, Cohon issued the following statement:

"In order for this protest to be successful, it must be shown that there was an intentional misinterpretation or misapplication of a playing rule," Cohon said. "A mistake, notwithstanding the severe effect it may have upon the outcome of a game, does not provide sufficient grounds for the commissioner to allow the protest and determine a remedy.

"Despite the significant negative implications resulting from this error, it is my conclusion upon my thorough review that this error was not made by the referee intentionally. The referee believed at the time that a whistle had been blown by an on-field official prior to the conclusion of the play.

"For this reason, it is my decision that the result of the regular season game between Montreal and BC held in Vancouver on Friday, September 4, 2009 stand as a BC victory by the score of 19-12."