KENT, Wash. — The Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team permanently removed two players last week after reports of inappropriate racial comments and actions.
In the week leading up to the start of the season, the team was divided into small groups, and in one group, there was an incident with bullying, inappropriate words and gestures occurred, according to Head Coach Matt O’Dette.
The team learned of the incident on March 17 and investigated it. Accounts from witnesses and other players who were in the room at the time of the incident led the team to remove the players from the team on March 18, according to O’Dette.
“I'm heartbroken,” said O’Dette. “I'm heartbroken that this happened on our hockey team to one of our players. Racism and bullying have no place in hockey or anywhere else.”
O’Dette said the Thunderbirds have a zero-tolerance against bullying and racially insensitive comments and actions, which was communicated to players on the first day of training camp.
The two players who were removed from the team will return to their families in Canada as soon as possible based on travel restrictions.
The trading deadline has passed, so the players cannot be traded to another team. However, O’Dette said they could be picked up by another team in the future.
"As a coach, I take my job very seriously, not only to develop and cultivate better hockey players but also better young men and better people," said O'Dette. "To have something like this happen is very disappointing.”