A local hockey league that claims to have a zero-tolerance stance on racism on ice says it will not investigate a racial slur that was shouted at a game last Sunday.
A midget AAA player from the Lethbridge Pronghorns shouted “stupid n*****” during a game against the St. Albert Sports Raiders and evaded reprimand from officials, coaching staff and the league.
St. Albert Gazette photographer April Bartlett was taking photos from above the Lethbridge bench – roughly four metres above players and staff – at Akinsdale arena when she heard the remark.
“I shoot a lot of hockey and I typically hear lots of swearing, but I guess I’ve just never heard that before,” she said. “I was stunned.”
The incident occurred late in the first period after an intense fight between the teams. Players on each team retreated to their own benches as the referees approached the St. Albert coaches to discuss the scuffle.
“At that point, when the refs went to the St. Albert bench, one (Lethbridge) player came in (to his bench) … and, I don’t even like to say the word, but yelled out “stupid n*****,” Bartlett said.
She said she heard the remark clearly, though it wasn’t loud enough to be heard by the roughly 60 spectators sitting on the opposite side of the arena, or by the referees standing roughly four metres away at the St. Albert bench.
She said she is certain members of Lethbridge’s coaching staff heard it as well.
One staff member “obviously heard it,” she said, adding that he told the player not to say those words.
“I couldn’t believe that the player was allowed back on the ice,” she said.
Another coaching staff member on the bench shot her a series of nervous and concerned glances before she told him she hoped he would reprimand the player.
“I said: ‘I hope you say something to that kid. That was disgusting,’ ” she said.
Alberta AAA Midget Hockey League president Bob Olynyk said racist language is not tolerated, but said no investigation will be made into this matter.
He said the incident was brought to his attention after the game – he didn’t disclose who told him – but added investigations are only conducted when the complaint comes from an on-ice official. If a spectator or player submits a complaint, nothing further will be pursued.
“Until somebody can bring to me black and white or any proof, it’s hearsay as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “It’s up to the official on the ice to make those decisions.”
Even if a coach filed a complaint against his own player for using racist language, Olynyk said an investigation would not be conducted.
“It’s up to him to punish the player then, not me,” Olynyk said.
Terry Cowie, manager of the Lethbridge Pronghorns, did not want to comment on the incident.
“You’re not going to get anything from me,” he said. “I personally have no comment to the press on what took place.”
He declined to clarify what he was referring to and said no player on his team used racist language.
“There was no racial incident and there was no racial (slur) directed at any player of the St. Albert team,” Cowie said.
He hung up when he was told that a St. Albert Gazette photographer had heard the slur.
The team’s coach did not return phone calls.
Sandro Pisani, coach of the St. Albert Sports Raiders, said he didn’t hear the slur, but that it was brought to his attention following the game. He did not specify who told him.
“It’s disappointing. No one wants to hear that and you hope it’s one of those things where they regret it,” he said. “It’s not what the game means and it’s not what the game’s about.”
He said this is the first time that he’s been involved with this type of behaviour, adding he has never heard racist language used on the ice.
Late last month, Hockey Alberta handed a midget AAA player a 12-game suspension after an on-ice official heard him use a racial slur.
Representatives declined to disclose information about the team or player, but confirmed the player was not from Edmonton.
Score sheets posted online from the Oct. 20 game reveal a forward on the Leduc Chrysler Oil Kings was handed a gross misconduct penalty and ejected from the game.
Hockey Canada, amateur hockey’s governing body in the country, sets out rules and regulations that leagues must abide by. It states that a player handed a gross misconduct penalty is ejected from the game and reported to the league president for further action.
Olynyk said an email was sent to teams in the league notifying them of the event and the punishment the player received.
“We are dead against it. It’s very serious. It’s degrading,” he said, adding the league recommended Hockey Alberta stiffen the penalty for these offences, raising the punishment from a two-game suspension to an indefinite suspension.
Three separate incidents in as many years have resulted in players being removed from the ice after using a racial slur. Olynyk is adamant that the use of racial language is not increasing in the sport.
“I think you just have to look at society and look at teenagers. They’re indestructible, they have no fear, they think they did no wrong and think they can do what they want to do,” he said.
When challenged whether this was an excuse to let players off the hook for using offensive language, he said it is simply a reflection of society.
Mike Olesen, senior manager of operations and administration for Hockey Alberta – the provincial branch of Hockey Canada tasked with enforcing rules and regulations – said it is generally the responsibility of referees to call incidents that take place on the ice.
“There’s a rule within the (playing rules) that states any comments to discriminatory nature, those types of things, are a violation that results in an indefinite suspension,” he said.
If an on-ice official misses an incident, an investigation can still be conducted.
“When it’s about behaviour and a report of something of this nature that isn’t dealt with on the ice, then it would still be treated relatively seriously and an investigation would be done,” he said. “I would expect (the league) to deal with that player’s conduct at their level, regardless if an official (made a) call.”
He said if Bartlett was to submit a complaint to the league or Hockey Alberta, an investigation should be conducted by the body that receives the complaint.
Investigations conducted at the league level are reviewed by Hockey Alberta, which will ultimately determine the penalty the player will receive.
