A youth hockey team in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., says it was forced to forfeit a championship-deciding game after players allegedly left their dressing room in a messy state.

The U18 AA Soo Jr. Greyhounds were scheduled to play Game 3 in a best-of-three series against the Copper Cliff Reds inside the community centre in Blind River two weekends ago.

But following Game 2, the Jr. Greyhounds received an email from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) that stated the final game was postponed due to the condition of their dressing room.

Within 48 hours of that message, the team said NOHA sent a follow-up email that escalated the ultimate decision from postponement to a forced forfeit.

  • Denjin@feddit.uk
    4·
    2 days ago

    I absolutely think it’s right to punish teams and players for unsportspersonlike conduct (which leaving mess for others to clean up is), this was a deciding game in a championship. Seems like they weren’t given the opportunity to make amends in another way (such as being sent back to clean it themselves) and instead are basically booted from the tournament.

    • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
      5·
      2 days ago

      I don’t think the “value” of the game should play into it. Especially hockey players at that age, it’s good that they had some consequences to their actions. If it was a regular person that made a mess of the break room then they’d just be fired.

    • CannonFodder@lemmy.world
      3·
      2 days ago

      We don’t know the details, but I’d guess they were asked plenty of times not to leave a mess but ignored it

      • Denjin@feddit.uk
        3·
        2 days ago

        “This occurred without ever speaking to the team. I find that concerning.”

        “A simple phone call certainly could have resulted in the players returning immediately or arriving early the next morning to clean their room — but the team was never contacted.”

        • Dozzi92@lemmy.world
          5·
          2 days ago

          It must’ve been trashed, and someone presumably cleaned it that night, so that whoever opened didn’t have to. Because that person also probably opened, at least that’s my experience with rinks: limited staff.

        • CannonFodder@lemmy.world
          1·
          2 days ago

          Well yes, I suppose I could read the article ;-)
          However I meant other times that they left a mess previously. But who knows.