McGill cancels football season (hazing)

hoosier · #1 10-18-2005, 07:16 PM

10/18/2005 5:56:48 PM

MONTREAL (CP) - McGill University officials cancelled the remainder of football team's season Tuesday in the wake of a report that confirmed a hazing incident.

The announcement came following an investigation into a complaint launched by a 18-year-old rookie who alleged he was sexually assaulted with a broomstick by a veteran player while others looked on and cheered.

The university said its investigation concluded that ''serious hazing including threats and intimidation, by comments and actions and by the use of demeaning, stereotyped epithets'' did occur during Rookie Night on Aug. 27.

Masi said contrary to some media reports, there is no evidence that anyone was sodomized. But the university said the investigation ''shows that the event did involve nudity, degrading positions and behaviours, gagging, touching in inappropriate manners with a broomstick, as well as verbal and physical intimidation of rookies by a large portion of the team.''

''This behaviour of the football team has stained the reputation of the McGill Redmen, McGill Athletics, and the University,'' the university said in a release Tuesday.

Kevlar281 · #2 10-19-2005, 01:46 AM

Obviously kicking the football team off campus is the only way to deal with such a problem.

RACooper · #3 10-19-2005, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kevlar281
Obviously kicking the football team off campus is the only way to deal with such a problem.

Members of the team may very well be - they violated both the student code of conduct and (if they are like UofT) a 'sportmanship' code... the punishments usually listed are suspension or expulsion - any academic scholarships are also pretty much toast as well.

Tom Earp · #4 10-19-2005, 03:09 PM

Amazing, this was on the Main Rock Station in Kansas City this morning.

Congratulations for Mc Gill having the stones to do something of this nature. Maybe, others will see that it is just not Greeks who are supposed to be the badies.

It is long in due time coming!

RACooper · #5 10-19-2005, 03:25 PM

Now, just like a GLO the current Redmen have to explain to all the alumni why they are responsible for the first cancelled/suspended season since the inception of the team in 1872...

Finally consider that the majority of funding for University level hockey and football comes not from the school but from Alumni support - support that may now be seriously jepordized because of the actions of these tools.

DeltAlum · #6 10-19-2005, 09:46 PM

Perhaps they can get together with the cheerleaders from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and, you know, have a party.

Neither are busy for the rest of the season.

mmcat · #7 10-22-2005, 02:10 AM

the whole thing is pretty sad...
maybe they should call the vikings and get a party boat?
tacky tacky

hoosier · #8 11-29-2005, 12:12 AM

(This pretty much sux. The Univ. did the right thing, punishing the hazers. Now the Conf. punishes the school for doing the right thing.)

Mon. Nov. 28, 2005.
McGill receives sanctions for hazing incident
Nov._28, 2005. 01:50_PM
CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL — McGill University has been fined $30,000 and its football team banned from having any home games televised in 2006 or 2007 after the university withdrew the Redmen from league action over a hazing incident.

The football squad also is banned from hosting a Quebec conference playoff game in 2006, the Quebec Student Sport Federation announced Monday.

The team will also be on probation for one year.

McGill officials cancelled the last two games of the football team's 2005 season on Oct. 18 in the wake of a report that confirmed a hazing incident known as Dr. Broom.

An 18-year-old rookie alleged he was sexually assaulted with a broomstick by a veteran player while others looked on and cheered. The rookie filed a complaint and left the university shortly afterwards.

The $30,000 fine includes reimbursement of the expenses and loss of revenues of universities affected by McGill's withdrawal, as well as additional production costs caused by the change of venue of an Oct. 22 televised game.

DeltAlum · #9 11-29-2005, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hoosier
(This pretty much sux. The Univ. did the right thing, punishing the hazers. Now the Conf. punishes the school for doing the right thing.)

I agree, unless the school is being punished because of the actions of the football team. Does that make sense to anyone?

In other words, the school isn't being sanctioned because it cancelled the two games, but because the football team screwed up and the university is punished for it.

Hard to explain. Chicken, meet egg.

RACooper · #10 11-29-2005, 01:47 AM

Actually it's not that big of a punishment (unless they make the finals) - basically Canadian football (or any university level sport) only gets air on the community or public tv... thats it.

As for the fine - well that'll pretty much cover the cost of the field, broadcasting, and the officials...

Seriously in the long run the punishment will make next to no difference - it's the negative response from the alumni that'll burn them more than anything... basically the shame of dishonouring the team.