SURREY: Reports of demoralizing and racist culture in sporting organizations across Canada are becoming common.One of the recent incidents was highlighted by Laura Ballance Media Group.
The Group issued a press release which mentioned that Coach Brian MacGillivray of a minor Hockey Team was suspended after he protested and raised concerns about on-ice incidents involving players from an opposing team repeatedly using racial slurs against MacGillivray’s players.
MacGillivray’steam has 15 South Asian players, and during the game in question the 10-year-olds were called “monkey,” “banana” and the N-word by numerous players on the opposing team, the release mentioned.
Coach MacGillivray protested to the on-ice officials and tournament safety officials stating he didn’t feel his players could safely return to the ice. The Surrey team left the ice.
Coach MacGillivray was released from coaching duties without any explanation to him or the parents of his U11 A1 Rep hockey team.
The parents believe the reason the coach was released was due to his suspension at a minor hockey tournament in Coquitlam in February, the release mentions.
Parents of the hockey team are outraged at the move by the Surrey Minor Hockey Association comes at the end of an extremely successful season, with the U11 team winning a league division banner.
Parents on the team are concerned with the sudden dismissal as well as the complete lack of information forthcoming from the Surrey Hockey Association, saying dozens of requests for information and an explanation have gone unanswered.
Brian MacGillivray was announced as coach of Surrey Minor Hockey Association’s U11 A1 rep team in June 2022.
According to the releases, “Despite numerous Letters of Support written by past and present families who have had Brian MacGillivray coach their sons or daughters, the parents of the Surrey U11 A1 Rep team believe it was this situation which led to Coach MacGillivray being released from the Surrey Minor Hockey Association, almost immediately after his suspension ended in late March.
MP Sukh Dhaliwal and Parm Bains have also written a letter to Cameron Hope, CEO of BC Amateur Hockey Association expressing concern about the incident and requesting “greater details” of what took place.
“Racism has no place in society, including sports. It’s very disheartening to hear of young athletes being exposed to discrimination and exclusion from a game they love,” MP Dhaliwal wrote on his social media.
Bains and Dhaliwal said in their letter to Hope: “Concerned constituents and members of the local sports community have informed us that discrimination against minor hockey players took place, which was also reported in a Surrey Now-Leader article,” adding: “It is very disturbing and disheartening to hear that young athletes would be exposed to discrimination or exclusion from a game they love.”
Bains and Dhaliwal noted: “In recent months leading to the 2023 Canada Sports Policy review, there have been multiple reports of demoralizing culture in sports associations across Canada.”
They added: “As Members of Parliament, we want to remove barriers for all Canadians, so they may participate and thrive in sports across our country.”
