Class action lawsuit against CHL for hazing, bullying, harassment, & assault

[sureLoss]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/artic...-filed-lawsuit

The lawsuit, launched in Toronto on Thursday afternoon against the Canadian Hockey League, the Western League, the Ontario League and the Quebec League, was brought forth by Daniel Carcillo and Garrett Taylor. And the allegations are explosive and disturbing. According the lawsuit, players in the class were, among other things, forced to masturbate in front of teammates and coaches and forced to sexually assault teammates, to consume saliva, urine, semen and feces of other players and to sexually engage with animals. It is also alleged that players had heavy objects tied to their genitals, had their genitals dipped in irritants and toxic liquids and had objects such as hockey sticks, brooms and food forced into their anuses. It is also alleged that players were forced to consume large amounts of alcohol and illicit drugs.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

[MrMike]

Absolutely disgusting allegations. Some people in this world are just awful.

[CaptainYooh]

I believe each and every one of these allegations. In fact, I am sure all of it happened and then some. It is disgusting and, unfortunately, has been part of most team sports for a very long time. It must stop and, hopefully, it is being eliminated. Yes to exposing the problem. Yes to advocating against hazing. Yes to making it impossible to practice going forward. Not sure if the lawsuit is the right way of going about it though. Smacks of going after the money first and foremost.

[Roof-Daddy]

Sickening.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

I believe each and every one of these allegations. In fact, I am sure all of it happened and then some. It is disgusting and, unfortunately, has been part of most team sports for a very long time. It must stop and, hopefully, it is being eliminated. Yes to exposing the problem. Yes to advocating against hazing. Yes to making it impossible to practice going forward. Not sure if the lawsuit is the right way of going about it though. Smacks of going after the money first and foremost.

I don't think it is all about money. Depending on how many players are involved in the class action, and after the lawyers get their cut, there probably won't be a big payout.

For years, hazing has existed and there haven't been any indications that there are serious efforts to fix it, so a lawsuit is the next step. Let's face it, the threat of being sued is probably a better tool than trying to appeal to the morals of people who allowed this stuff to happen to begin with.

I have no doubt that this is a case where the abused have become abusers for a long time and that people who live in that world became desensitized to what was going on.

[Gallick]

This is one of the worst kept secrets in hockey. Get this garbage out of the sport. It's barbaric and tribal and unnecessary, and it causes long-term mental damage. You wonder why there's such a weird attachment to violence in the hockey world? It starts with this.

[tvp2003]

As someone who has loved sports since I was a kid, this is sickening to read.

And as someone who participated in amateur sports (albeit at a fairly low level), I'm grateful I was never subject to crap like this. In fact, I specifically recall being a 17-year-old rookie, and the "vets" specifically making sure we were treated well.

[Jacks]

If those allegations are true then it should be criminal charges rather than a lawsuit.

[Poster]

Originally Posted by Jacks

If those allegations are true then it should be criminal charges rather than a lawsuit.

Especially against the adults (team owner, management, coaches, trainers all knew!) in charge who fostered and clearly allowed this type of behaviour.

They wanted animals, so they created them.

[Irvir]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

I believe each and every one of these allegations. In fact, I am sure all of it happened and then some. It is disgusting and, unfortunately, has been part of most team sports for a very long time. It must stop and, hopefully, it is being eliminated. Yes to exposing the problem. Yes to advocating against hazing. Yes to making it impossible to practice going forward. Not sure if the lawsuit is the right way of going about it though. Smacks of going after the money first and foremost.

Out of curiosity, what do you propose is the right way about going about this?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Irvir

Out of curiosity, what do you propose is the right way about going about this?

Agreed
Pretty clear whatever efforts have been made to this point haven’t worked
This stuff needs to be brought forth and out in the open

[FireGilbert]

Holy ####, not good at all.

I thought all this crap had slowed down after the Steve Downie incident from 15 years ago when the Spitfires coach was fired and the OHL vowed to stamp it out. Yeah clearly whatever they did back then did not work at all.

[Royle9]

Jesus christ that's disturbing but not really a shocker sadly as news of this crap has leaked over the years.

It's crazy that this was continuous in hockey, I never played highly competitive as a kid but I did play super competitive baseball from like 7 to 17 and can honestly say this never happened which I'm thankful for.

[Canada 02]

Do the players have any culpability? Presumably, some were adult age when they hazed their teammates. Some may be very famous and wealthy NHLers

[cupofjoe]

I played with some the guys that eventually made the local Junior B team in my area back in the 80's. They told me 'the rookie stories'. The one I remember in particular was the seniors tying a string between two rookies private parts and place them 8-10' apart in the bus aisle while going to away games. They were forced to have a 'tug-o-war'. If they didn't try hard enough, a senior player would yank the string. Needless to say, it was painful, humiliating and dangerous.

[Locke]

End this garbage. End it now.

[dino7c]

100% true, if you know any ex-players or played yourself you will know

[Erick Estrada]

I remember hazing but it was more stuff like the guys holding you down while shaving your privates (in those days was not a preferred look) but the masturbation and other degrading stuff I never saw. There were always the goof balls but the hazing generally wasn't as mean spirited. That said in the late 90, early 20's I had worked with younger fellas that would tell me their hockey stories of stuff like that like and I thought they were just anomalies at that time but apparently it had became part of the culture.

[Derek Sutton]

This story hitting close to home. Living in Lethbridge and having family who played a lot of hockey for Mike over the years, know him personally. The thing with Mike was that he could get a lot out of a little with a hockey team. He is old an school progressive coach. Recently, about 6 months ago there were claims of abuse against the Sutters and Red Deer Rebels organization, we figured it was only a matter of time before Mikes name was brought up.

Happy that there’s not any claims of sexual abuse against him or the Hurricanes organization.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/globalne...ainst-chl/amp/

[UKflames]

Just so I understand how this works, is this lawsuit aimed at just the league, so basically anyone who has had anything to do with the league, players as well as staff?? How does this work because surely some of the players bringing the lawsuit could be playing with players that instigated the hazing. Is it against coaches and team owners that knew this was going on but did nothing about it?


Kind of confused what this solves, which could not have been solved through media awareness similar the Aliu or would it have been kept quiet and out of the media (or is that what has been going on (worst kept secret in hockey etc.)