The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the America’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organisation, today called on the National Hockey League (NHL) to take action after Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers was shown on video clearly shouting an anti-gay slur during a pre-season game on Monday night.

GLAAD

GLAAD also launched an online action for community members and allies to contact the NHL. For more information: www.glaad.org/tellnhl. The GLAAD online action reads, “hearing a player shout ‘f**got’ during a game can perpetuate a climate of intolerance that pervades so many schools and universities today.”

“It is abundantly clear from video footage that an instance of anti-gay bias occurred,”said Mike Thompson, Acting President of GLAAD. “League officials should revisit this matter and take action immediately. The NHL is severely out of touch at a time when leagues including the MLB and the NBA are taking stands against anti-gay bullying and steps to ensure their sports are welcoming to all players, coaches and fans.”

Yesterday, the NHL released a statement saying, “commentary directed at the race or ethnicity of other participants in the game (or even non-participants), or that is otherwise socially or morally inappropriate or potentially hurtful — including as it may relate to sexual orientation — is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated…Since there are conflicting accounts of what transpired on the ice, we have been unable to substantiate with the necessary degree of certainty what was said and by whom. Specifically, Flyers Player Wayne Simmonds has expressly denied using the homophobic slur he is alleged to have said. Additionally, none of the on-ice officials close to the altercation in question heard any inappropriate slurs uttered by either of the primary antagonists. In light of this, we are unable at this time to take any disciplinary action with respect to last night’s events.”

The NHL’s full statement, which notes they are open to revisiting the matter, is below.

Previously, the NBA responsibly fined both Kobe Bryant and Joakim Noah earlier this year after both were caught on camera using this same slur during games. The MLB responsibly suspended Roger McDowell after he was accused of making anti-gay comments toward fans in San Francisco. As a result, both leagues set important examples for local and school-level sports teams that the NHL should also follow.

“All Players, Coaches and Officials in the National Hockey League deserve the respect of their peers, and have the absolute right to function in a work environment that is free from racially or sexually-based innuendo or derision. This is the National Hockey League’s policy and it will remain so going forward.

“It also is important to emphasise that the National Hockey League holds, and will continue to hold, our Players to higher standards with respect to their conduct both on and off the ice. While we recognise that the emotion involved in certain on-ice confrontations may lead to the use
of highly charged and sometimes offensive language and commentary, certain lines cannot be crossed. Specifically, we have for many years emphasised to our Clubs and Players that commentary directed at the race or ethnicity of other participants in the game (or even non-participants), or that is otherwise socially or morally inappropriate or potentially hurtful — including as it may relate to sexual orientation — is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“With that as background, we have looked into the allegations relating to the possible use of a homophobic slur by a Flyers player in the Rangers/Flyers preseason game last night in Philadelphia. Since there are conflicting accounts of what transpired on the ice, we have been unable to substantiate with the necessary degree of certainty what was said and by whom. Specifically, Flyers Player Wayne Simmonds has expressly denied using the homophobic slur he is alleged to have said. Additionally, none of the on-ice officials close to the altercation in question heard any inappropriate slurs uttered by either of the primary antagonists. In light of this, we are unable at this time to take any disciplinary action with respect to last night’s events. To the extent we become aware of additional information conclusively establishing that an inappropriate slur was invoked, we are reserving the option to revisit the matter.”

Tagged:
About the Author

Staff members publishes stories from other news outlets from around the world.