17 December 2010
Hockey Association Suspends Wrong Person: Miller
Questions OMHA decision to suspend coach who took action on racial slur

HAMILTON—NDP Sports Critic and Hamilton East—Stoney Creek MPP Paul Miller is expressing concern about the outcome of an Ontario Minor Hockey Association hearing that led to the suspension of a coach who took action against racial slurs.

“The OMHA should revisit its rules on racial slurs to ensure that it is very clear to all players, coaches and referees that any comments like this are unacceptable,” said Miller.

“Coach Greg Walsh certainly did the right thing morally and obviously wanted to send a strong message to the other coach and team, the league, the public, all players and families. If the rules on these kinds of incidents are clear and if he was aware of them he might have taken a different course of action instead of removing his team from the game,” continued Miller.

“Actually, if the referee was aware of the racial slur, he could have given the offending player a gross misconduct penalty and a game suspension in the first place, then let the league – with new or clarified rules – deal with the issue”, he added.

Miller reflected on his own experience as a minor league hockey referee.

“This issue should be dealt with as a priority by OMHA executives, the League Convenors and the Referees’ Association. They should create or set down new or clearer rules governing racial slurs and other deliberately demeaning behaviour by an individual player or team,” he said.

“The offence should result in hard suspensions on the offending player – a year or more – and on the offending team’s coach if the player is not benched after it becomes known that a slur was made. The message should ensure that all players, coaches, referees, parents, everyone participating in hockey, in any way, get the message.”

During the appeal process, Miller suggests that the OMHA seriously reconsider its decision and be lenient on Coach Walsh, who certainly took the right moral position supporting his player. It is his job as coach to protect the players physically, morally, emotionally and from abuse of any sort, said Miller.

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Media Contact: Paul Miller (905) 545-0114

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