from Rick Westhead of TSN,
The Canadian Hockey League and its three major junior leagues have been complicit for decades in rampant hazing, bullying, and abuse of underage players by coaches, team staff and senior players, alleges a proposed class-action lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto by former CHL players Dan Carcillo and Garrett Taylor. The filing doesn’t specify what sort of damages the plaintiffs are seeking.
“Survivors of such abuse have come forward and continue to come forward to this day,” the lawsuit alleges. “However, the defendants have stubbornly ignored or failed to reasonably address this institutionalized and systemic abuse. Rather than respond to or make meaningful attempts to prevent such abuse, the defendants have instead perpetuated a toxic environment that condones violent, discriminatory, racist, sexualized, and homophobic conduct, including physical and sexual assault, on the underage players they are obligated to protect.”
CHL president Dan MacKenzie did not respond to an email requesting comment. The allegations against the CHL have not been proven and the league has not filed its defence to the claims.
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