This afternoon an announcement on social media from the Athletics and Recreation office of Queens College in Kingston, Ontario said the following:
The ladies’ field hockey team will only compete after more notification. An internal assessment process is underway after a report of non-academic misconduct. We acknowledge the disappointment that this can cause with student athletes, families, opponents and fans, and we appreciate their understanding.
At Queen’s and within Athletics & Recreation (A&R) the safety and well -being of all participants is our highest priority. The values of Fair Play, Respect and Safe Sport are fundamentally for the department. We strive to ensure that all student athletes meet safe sports policy and expectations, as well as national, provincial and Queen’s student codes of behavior and ethics. Ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all participants, on and next to the playing field is paramount and we continue to work to maintain the highest integrity standards in university sport.
This is extraordinary.
Since this site started, we have only seen one opportunity in which misconduct of a field hockey team (hazing that was filmed and became viral) resulted in a season that was suspended.
But it is not the rarity of the event that has attracted my attention. Queens University is one of only 17 teams participating in the Canada U -sports system. Losing only one of them, for whatever reason, is an important event that gives one break for how sustainable the sport will be.
This event can also be a challenge for how safe sports policy will be enforced after a multi-year scandal in Pro Hockey, where five players from the Junior National Team of 2018 on 24 July were acquitted of all the charges arising from a single count of sexual violence after a gala event that celebrated the Goudmedale performance of the team.
Whatever the “non-academic misconduct” was, this was in this case, this does not look good at all.
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