MJHL player under investigation for directing racist taunt at First Nation team
An MJHL (Manitoba Jr. A) player has been suspended after making a racist gesture towards a team from Waywayseecappo First Nation last weekend.
The incident took place after the Dauphin Kings’ 3-2 win over the Wolverines, with a Kings player raising his stick like a bow and seemingly mimicking the firing of an arrow towards his opponents.
Disgusting act in the MJHL….. arrow at a team based on a First Nations reserve pic.twitter.com/VjepZv6x1R
— World Hockey Report (@worldhockeyrpt) February 21, 2022
The player, identified on the game sheet as 20-year-old defenseman Klim Georgiev, was assessed a gross misconduct penalty, which results in an automatic one-game suspension according to Manitoba Junior Hockey League rules.
The MJHL released a statement shortly following the incident, announcing that there will also be an independent investigation into the matter.
“The MJHL takes situations of this nature very seriously. At this time the player has been suspended with a final decision to follow once a full review has been completed of the incident which includes the use of an external consultant in investigating this matter,” the statement reads.
— #theMJ (@mjhlhockey) February 21, 2022
A league spokesperson declined to offer any additional comment to the CBC, only saying, “out of respect of the ongoing process to deal with this matter, at this time please refer to the statement and information issued last night by the MJHL.”
Dauphin also released a statement about the incident, adding that, “we all must remember that these are young men who are still learning.”
— Dauphin Kings (@dauphinkings) February 21, 2022
Hockey Indigenous, an organization that promotes Indigenous hockey in North America, took exception to the Kings’ statement, calling it “unacceptable”.
Thank you for your response but this statement is 100% unacceptable. Correct name is “Waywayseecappo”
It’s 2022. One does not have to learn how not to be racist. Being racist is a choice. https://t.co/bfLfFn0tQg— Hockey Indigenous (@HKYIndigenous) February 21, 2022
Olympian and former Canadian women’s hockey player Brigette Lacquette of Cote First Nation also weighed in on the issue.
“Allowing this type of behaviour to continue is unacceptable. It’s important to stand up to it and address it. We can no longer sweep behaviour like this under the rug. It doesn’t matter if it’s ‘getting back at the other team’ it’s racist,” she tweeted.
Issues with racism in hockey have resurfaced in the new year, with incidents in the AHL and ECHL in the matter of a few days reigniting the conversation around inclusivity and diversity in the sport.
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