Hockey Calgary Is Investigating After 'Disturbing' Locker Room Videos Surface Online
An investigation has been launched within Hockey Calgary following two "disturbing" videos from a minor hockey dressing room.
This article contains graphic content that might not be suitable for some readers.
Two videos surfaced from October 19 at the Crowchild Twin Arena. One showed boys fighting with hockey gloves and helmets on.
The other video shows a player hunched over while other players cheer. He seems to be holding his breath. Two other boys hold him against the wall and a third pours water on his head. He then collapses to the floor where he appears to have a short seizure. Finally, he wakes up and gets to his feet.
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We are extremely disappointed. We found it very disturbing. It is not something we want to see in hockey.
Kevin Kobelka, executive director of Hockey Calgary
Kobelka told Narcity that they got wind of the video on Friday afternoon and acted immediately, "We dealt with our member association, contacted them, asked for the players and the coaches involved to immediately be removed from hockey activities."
He said the individuals in the video are in a cohort so they didn't need to social distance in the dressing room. What's surprising to him is that the boys had just got into the dressing room "15 to 20 minutes before."
"So, this all happened in a very, very short period of time prior to their ice time."
While Kobelka said it appeared no parents or guardians were present during the events, Hockey Calgary's policy is that an adult needs to be in or around the dressing room area at all times. Part of the investigation will include finding out "why there wasn't adult supervision in and around the area at that time," he told us.
He added that the boy seen seizing in the video is healthy and doing just fine from what he understands.