‘I don’t know why it took that long’: RCMP say it took over a month to learn of possible assault at NSWC

NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – RCMP in North Vancouver are wondering why it took over a month to hear about reports of a possible assault at the North Shore Winter Club.

Mounties have confirmed they are investigating an alleged assault that happened at the club on Dec. 10, 2018.

“RCMP received details of the incident on Jan. 27, 2019,” said RCMP Cp. Richard de Jong.

De Jong says he’s concerned that it took over a month for police to be notified of the incident. “I don’t know why it took that long. That’s part of the investigation that will be looked into.”

A National Post report suggests there may have been more than one incident of bullying by two players at the elite program in North Vancouver. Sources have described incidents to the Post “constituting assault, sexual assault, bullying, harassment, hazing, humiliation or abuse.”

It says the head coach and his assistant both wanted the players kicked off the team, and the head coach quit his position last month “over disciplinary measures.”

(Brad Rihela. Source: nswc.ca)

 

“The NSWC takes the safety and the well-being of our member families very seriously,” read a statement from the club. “The NSWC is aware that there are unfortunate rumours circulating and our desire is to remind everyone that rumours based on inaccurate information can be very damaging to those involved.”

In the statement, the club says a family reached out after they believed their son was being targetted by other players. According to the club the family “specifically requested” the club to not contact authorities.

“NSWC acted decisively,” read the statement. “The coach suspended two players and when the Club was notified of the allegations, the NSWC immediately formed a disciplinary committee and upheld the suspensions while the committee investigated.”

The club says it received additional support and advice from BC Hockey, noting there was a full review and an appeal process.

“After conducting a thorough investigation, the disciplinary committee concluded there were two incidents of bullying,” wrote the club. “Discipline was bestowed, which included further suspension from team play, writing apology letters, and undergoing a professional anti-bullying session. We feel they have learned from their actions, understand the harm, and we do not expect this to be repeated.”

The two players served their suspensions and have since been reinstated, according to the club.

“This has been a very difficult issue for all involved. While all might not agree with the outcome, we feel a fair process was established and followed,” wrote the club.

Cpl. de Jong wouldn’t say the ages of those involved in the alleged assault.

“This ongoing investigation includes taking statements from players of the minor hockey club, coaches, guardians, and parents,” he said.

Wayne MacKay, a professor emeritus at Dalhousie University, says while it’s unfortunate that it took over a month for the incident to be reported to police, he’s not surprised.

“Not atypical. All too often … people tend to try to handle it in-house, recognizing in part the bad publicity they’re likely to receive and at least not report anything until they’re absolutely certain that things have happened and it’s going to get out … These kind of things are serious and they should be reported quickly, like any other offence.”

He says it’s disappointing to hear about another alleged incident of bullying and hazing.

“You would think, with all of the publicity and greater consciousness, that this kind of thing is completely unacceptable — that they would stop. But every time you think that, a new one springs up.”

One parent told the Post he withdrew his child from the North Shore Winter Club over the situation. Others said they don’t want to speak out for fear of damaging their kids’ prospects with the club.

“A culture that’s very hard to break”

 

MacKay feels there is often a link between the athletic culture and inappropriate initiation behaviour. “It would seem that that’s a culture that’s very hard to break, even though those officially involved are saying that they have abandoned that or are breaking that.”

He points to last year’s scandal at St. Michael’s College School in Toronto, in which several students were arrested after an alleged sexual assault in a locker room.

“You’d think with a high-profile incident like the St. Michael’s one that the message would clearly be out that this is not acceptable behaviour. It does kind of mystify me how that message isn’t getting clear, at least to those on the front lines and sometimes, even higher up … The information is out there, but the conduct isn’t always changing.”

He believes a broad culture shift is needed.

“We really have to look at the underlying causes behind these things and say, ‘What kind of culture are we promoting in hockey or sports or other things that has people thinking this is okay, this is acceptable to do?’ This may be a bad analogy, but in some ways, it’s a bit like maybe a military culture sometimes, where you engage in conduct that wouldn’t be acceptable elsewhere but somehow is deemed to be acceptable there.”

Read the full statement from the North Shore Winter Club:

The NSWC takes the safety and the well-being of our member families very seriously.  The NSWC is aware that there are unfortunate rumours circulating and our desire is to remind everyone that rumours based on inaccurate information can be very damaging to those involved.

In mid-December, a NSWC family reported that they believed their son was targeted by two other players. The family specifically requested that the Club investigate the matter and requested that the Club not contact the authorities.  The Club respected these requests.

NSWC acted decisively. The coach suspended two players and when the Club was notified of the allegations, the NSWC immediately formed a disciplinary committee and upheld the suspensions while the committee investigated.

The committee met with the Complainant and his family and, along with the NSWC staff, did a thorough investigation.

During the process, the Club also received additional support and advice, including communications with BC Hockey. There was a full review and appeal process.

After conducting a thorough investigation, the disciplinary committee concluded there were two incidents of bullying.

Discipline was bestowed, which included further suspension from team play, writing apology letters, and undergoing a professional anti-bullying session.  We feel they have learned from their actions, understand the harm, and we do not expect this to be repeated.

The suspensions have been served and the two boys have been reinstated.

The North Shore Winter Club takes the issues of player safety, bullying and member family privacy extremely seriously. The safety and the well-being of our member families is always paramount. The Club does not tolerate bullying and will respond to allegations immediately with what we think is appropriate disciplinary action, as we did in this case. Coaches communicate that bullying is in no way an acceptable behaviour. This is emphasized at preseason parent/player meetings and clearly communicated with parents and players during the season in the bullying/harassment policies of the NSWC and BC Hockey.

This has been a very difficult issue for all involved. While all might not agree with the outcome, we feel a fair process was established and followed.

It is very disappointing this occurred; but it has initiated changes. We will update the bullying policy in the NSWC players’ code of conduct, plus add additional communications during the season and the Board has appointed a committee to make recommendations for better and stricter policies and procedures to deal with complaints of this nature moving forward. Ultimately, it is our aim to see that bullying never happens anywhere at the North Shore Winter Club.

We cannot speak to the reasons for the Coach’s resignation as it is a personnel matter — but I can say he is an excellent coach and his contributions to North Shore Winter Club were greatly appreciated. We wish him the best.

Timeline:

  • Dec 10 – Coach told by parent, that he believes his son was targeted by two players on his team earlier that day.
  • Dec 11 – Coach meets with all players and immediately suspends the two players and reports to NSWC

  • Dec 12 – NSWC sets up a Disciplinary committee and suspensions continue

  • Dec 13-20 – Committee does a thorough investigation and interviews all 14 players on team

  • Dec 21 – Disciplinary Committee finds the complainant was bullied and issues further suspensions, mandates each write a letter of apology, and attend a professional anti-bullying session with a councilor

  • Jan 7 – An appeal was received and secondary committee was formed to consider the appeal

  • Two suspended players were reinstated to the team on January 17 and January 27 respectively

  • Both players have met all requirements set out by discipline committee.

 

 – With files from Marcella Bernardo

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