"Racial Slurs at Junior Hockey Game"

[ocelot]

QMJHL: Sags apologize for fan behaviour

Canadian Press

12/19/2005 5:33:13 PM

CHICOUTIMI, Que. (CP) - The Chicoutimi Sagueneens apologized to Ted Nolan on Monday after some of the junior hockey team's fans hurled racial slurs at the Moncton Wildcats coach during a game last week.

Nolan, 47, an Ojibwa from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., said the verbal abuse he endured from the crowd at the Centre Georges Vezina during Friday's 4-3 loss left him trembling after the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game.

Some fans whooped and made tomahawk gestures at the aboriginal coach, prompting the Sagueneens to post an apology on their website.

"The disgraceful acts by several spectators don't represent the image of our fans and the regional population," the team said.

"The management of the Sagueneens understands and respects the multicultural aspects within (the league) and doesn't at all accept this kind of behaviour."

Nolan, a former coach of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, said he thought racial incidents of that nature happened in the 1940s.

He told reporters after the game that the league should do more to combat verbal abuse from fans.

"I don't know if it's a matter of them needing better security here, but they do need better manners in this town," he said.

League commissioner Gilles Courteau, in a statement issued Monday afternoon, called the incident "distasteful and regrettable."

"Like Mr. Ted Nolan, all players and team staff members are part of the QMJHL family without allusion to their nationality or ethnic background," he said.

Courteau said the league would take steps to insure incidents like it don't happen again, but didn't elaborate.

Bill Winn, a spokesman for the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, called the abuse faced by Nolan "abhorrent."

"The laws need to be tougher so that victims of this kind of abuse have some kind of recourse," he said.

"Maybe that will stop people from shooting off their mouth before their brain turns over."

Guy Carbonneau, vice-president of the Chicoutimi team, said the team was sorry for what happened, but added there was probably little that could have been done to avoid it.

"It's a sporting event," he said in an interview from Dallas. "There are people that go there, they're emotional, they drink, and sometimes people think they're being funny with their comments. But the comments aren't funny for others.

"There's 4,600 people in the rink most nights and I'm sure 4,596 don't approve of what was said."

Bill Schurman, general manager of the Wildcats, said he's satisfied with the response from Chicoutimi.

"We certainly accept the apology of the Chicoutimi organization. ... All parties feel bad that it happened."

But Schurman said the issue should require further action from the league.

"I think if we adopt a zero tolerance rule in all of our buildings for any kind of abuse, including racial abuse ... then if anyone suggests a racial comment, out they go," said Schurman.

"You have certain codes of conduct for your arenas. ... You can't smoke, you can't throw anything on the ice, and certainly abusive vocabulary and behaviour should become part of the rules of having a Quebec Major Junior League team."

[ocelot]

This really saddened me not only because of the racism which I am totally against but also because I like Ted Nolan, he's always seemed like a great guy. I feel he's a good enough coach to coach in the NHL.

[shavonfan]

Nolan, 47, an Ojibwa from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., said the verbal abuse he endured from the crowd at the Centre Georges Vezina during Friday's 4-3 loss left him trembling after the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game.

This is really sad. The effects on a person that something like this has is devastating.

Nolan, a former coach of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, said he thought racial incidents of that nature happened in the 1940s.

He told reporters after the game that the league should do more to combat verbal abuse from fans.

"I don't know if it's a matter of them needing better security here, but they do need better manners in this town," he said.

It is very important to remember here that the voices that were heard are not representative of anybody except the ones who spoke them. No one else is to blame, and the "town" is not to be blamed for having bad manners. I do understand how he must feel. But things must be kept in perspective.

[ocelot]

I think there is a responsibility to kick out those fans who are reported to be saying racial slurs. The same thing would happen at a NBA game or an NHL game. There is a certain level of behaviour that you are expected to keep to when you are at a sports game, and if you don't adhere to it than usually you are kicked out. I agree with you that the town shouldn't be blamed for the actions of a few hockey "fans".

[shavonfan]

I agree with you about tough measures.

[shavonfan]

The unfortunate thing is that these things happen so unexpectedly, and so unbelievably, that many times I think that people just do not know how to react. They kind of freeze up. In the NBA and NHL you are talking about professionals that are trained for every possible situation. Even then sometimes the unexpected catches them off guard. I'm not disagreeing with anything, and I'm not excusing anything either. I'm just reflecting on this and trying to understand why and how it happens. But the good thing about it (if there is a good thing about it) is that the "town" was simply asleep about the unexpected happening and not immune to it for being an everyday, common occurrance. There will be people who will rise up in this situation, and see to it that it is put to a stop. I just wish Ted Nolan didn't have to be a victim for it to happen. I have no tolerance for this kind of meanness.