Hockey PEI pushed into suspensions for slurs, on-ice bullying

A memo issued by Hockey PEI in December asking players to be more respectful on the ice didn't work, says the chair of the discipline and ethics committee.

Despite the memo, the organization is still getting too many reports of bad behaviour.

"It's coming to light that there's a lot of slurs being tossed around," said Barry Thompson, chair of the organization's discipline and ethics committee.

"There's bullying, there's taunts, that kind of stuff. Let's just say our little awareness memo didn't get the impact we wanted, so it's time to make an impact."

Suspensions automatic

So Hockey PEI has issued a new memo, dated Wednesday, says effective immediately players and team officials involved will face suspensions.

"Any players or team officials identified and reported by game officials as uttering verbal taunts or slurs, racial or homophobic in nature, will be assessed a Gross Misconduct," the memo reads.

That offence will come with an automatic five-game suspension. A second offence will lead to suspension for the remainder of the season.

Thompson acknowledged, given the harshness of the penalty, that it will be a challenge for local officials, who are often members of the community and not much older than the players, to implement. But he said he is confident they will do the right thing.

"It's not accepted in our game. It shouldn't be around our game, it shouldn't be in society," he said.

Starting right now

Hockey PEI is sending a signal that it takes this behaviour seriously, said Thompson, and one of the goals is to get people talking about it.

"It's important that we speak out, we say what our approach is," he said.

"We want players talking about this — coaches, players, parents, the whole thing — to get that engagement, communication, just to say that it's not accepted."

The new disciplinary regime is in effect for this weekend.

Thompson said Hockey PEI is working on a communications strategy for educating players about the issue in advance of next season.

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