Dauphin Kings defenceman suspended for racially charged display

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This article was published 21/02/2022 (1644 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EIGHT months after the Manitoba Junior Hockey League launched a bold new anti-racism campaign for its players and staff, the league has suspended Dauphin Kings defenceman Klim Georgiev following a racially charged display in a game against the Waywayseecappo Wolverines Saturday night.

In a video widely seen on social media, Georgiev can be seen making a bow and arrow gesture towards his opponents during a hotly contested game between West Division rivals, won 3-2 by the Kings.

The Wolverines are the league’s only Indigenous-owned franchise, having belonged to the Waywayseecappo First Nation since the club’s inception in 1999. The Wolverines have a number of Indigenous players on their roster.

Georgiev was assessed a gross misconduct at the 20:00-mark of the third period. Dauphin head coach and general manager Doug Hedley said the Toronto product would not return to the lineup until a league investigation is completed and would not comment further.

The 20-year-old defenceman was acquired in a trade from the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals in October and was in the midst of a productive season with three goals and 17 points in 31 games.

In a statement, the MJHL Sunday said its probe would include an external consultant. Reached Monday, MJHL commissioner Kevin Saurette said he would not be commenting until the review process was complete.

Meanwhile, Wolverines GM and head coach Taylor Harnett referred inquiries to the team’s governor Morley Watson.

Watson responded to the Free Press in an email: “It would be best that we comment only after they have dealt with the situation.”

An unacceptable behaviour has occurred in the @mjhlhockey as @dauphinkings player #17 Klim Georgiev gesutred an arrow attack on First Nation Team @mjhlWolverines .

Racism have no place in hockey and in this environment, beyond disgusting and hurtful. pic.twitter.com/k52Qy4bW7u

— Hockey Indigenous (@HKYIndigenous) February 20, 2022

The second-place Wolverines, who trail first-place Dauphin by five points in the West standings, have a return matchup with the Kings Friday. The teams meet again on Saturday in Waywayseecappo, the final meeting between the teams before the end of the regular season.

Last June, the MJHL unveiled something dubbed the Anti-Racism Player Education Program, which was intended to strengthen league policies regarding verbal taunts, insults, intimidation actions based on discriminatory behaviours.

The MJHL also promised to enhance its code of conduct in support of Indigenous and racialized community athletes, staff, families and communities who might be subjected to verbal taunts, insults and intimidation.

“Through internal discussions as a league over the course of the past season, it became apparent that there is much more that the MJHL could and should be doing to address racism and discrimination in our sport while also providing important and necessary anti-racism education for our players (and) staff,” Saurette said at the time.

“We know that discrimination unfortunately still exists in our society and this type of education is required for change to take place. This program will play an important role in the MJHL being part of the solution going forward.” As part of program, the league brought in Dauphin-based educator Wade Houle to conduct anti-discrimination education seminars with all teams. It was not immediately known how many teams have received the training.

At last summer’s annual general meeting, the league also beefed up punishments for anyone found to have contravened its anti-discrimination policy, with minimum automatic penalties: first infraction carries a minimum three-game suspension; a second, five games with a third infraction receiving an indefinite ban.

“Through this balanced approach of both educating players and strengthening our review and sanction policies, we aim to raise awareness within our players and staff, to contribute positively to society and nurture an inclusive hockey culture within our league,” Saurette added.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14