NHL Investigating After Toronto Player Appears To Call Ref a Homophobic Slur
Credit to Author: Mack Lamoureux| Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2019 15:24:49 +0000
The NHL is investigating after a Toronto Maple Leaf defenceman seemingly called a ref a “fucking f—–t.”
The homophobic slur appears to have come from Morgan Rielly at the tail end of the second period of their Monday game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. According to the Sportsnet play by play man announcing the game at the time, it seems Rielly was upset at the referee for not calling a hooking penalty.
The slur was picked up on audio and quickly tweeted out by fans. Later that night, the NHL PR department tweeted out that “aware of reports that a homophobic slur was used during the Maple Leafs-Lightning game. The League is investigating the incident.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs say they’re cooperating with the league’s investigation. Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas said in a press release that the Leafs are aware of the reports and the “issue of homophobia is one the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club strongly condemns and takes very seriously.”
Rielly has yet to make a public statement. The 25-year-old was drafted fifth overall by the Leafs in 2012 and has spent his career with the team. While he’s performed well for several years, he is having a breakout season and is now considered one of the league’s elite defencemen.
There is a precedent in the NHL, and other sports leagues, of taking actions against their players for using slurs during game time. In 2016, Blackhawks player Andrew Shaw was suspended for a playoff game and fined $5,000 for calling a referee a homophobic slur when given a penalty. He apologized for his remarks saying, he knows his “words were hurtful and I will learn from my mistake.” More recently, in 2017, the captain of the Anaheim Ducks Ryan Getzlaf was fined $10,000 for calling a referee slur in the Western Conference finals.
In 2017, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar called Jason Motte, a pitcher who just struck him out, a homophobic slur. Pillar was confronted on the field and would apologize several times as well as being suspended for two games by the Blue Jays. Last year, in the NBA, Nikola Jokic was fined $25,000 for using a slur in a press conference and, in 2011, the league famously fined Kobe Bryant $100,000 for using a homophobic slur against a referee.
Dr. Kristopher Wells, an associate professor at MacEwan University, is the co-founder of Pride Tape—a rainbow-coloured hockey tape used to express support for LGBTQ+ people that has been used by several teams across the NHL.
Wells told VICE that the NHL, and everyone involved in hockey, “need to make it clear that homophobia has no place in hockey or in our society.” He added that the fact the NHL and Leafs quickly made statements condoning homophobia is “heartening” and hopes the words will be followed up by action.
“While players and teams are using Pride Tape in warm ups to signal their acceptance and inclusion, more needs to be done to ensure that these beliefs are supported on and off the ice, in the stands and locker room, and out in the community,” Wells told VICE.“It’s important that homophobia has consequences, but we should also use this as a learning opportunity to educate our players and fans about why it is so very inappropriate.”
“I hope the Leafs will reach out to LGBTQ community groups and organizations like You Can Play to provide education. This is not only a hockey issue, but a societal one. The Leafs need to lead by example.”
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