Racism in hockey rears its ugly head again
Canadian born and raised multi-sport teenage athlete told to ‘go back’ where he came from
The first time Zachary Sukumaran was called the “N-word” on the ice, he was 12 and didn’t know how to react.
He told his father on the car ride home, and his father brought it to the attention of minor hockey officials. The boy on the opposing team was suspended for the balance of the season.
The family hasn’t taken it that far every time Sukumaran, 17, a forward for the Millbrook Stars midget rep team, has been slurred. It’s happened at least once a year since.
But on Tuesday night, in a game against Woodville, when Sukumaran was told by an opposing player, “Go back to where you came from, you (expletive deleted) immigrant,” a breaking point was reached. Sukumaran grabbed the player and threw him to the ice.
Officials intervened and Sukumaran told them what was said. The end result was Sukumaran was ejected from the game and no penalty was assessed the opponent. The referees said they didn’t hear the slur so couldn’t do anything about it.
Sukumaran has heard that before. Frustrated, he punched the dressing room door and broke his hand. He’ll be sidelined for six weeks.
Sukumaran and his five brothers were born and raised in Canada. They grew up playing hockey on a backyard rink. They would eat dinner with their skates and skateguards on so they could rush back to their game.
Their father, Sanj, an audiologist who runs The Ear Company on Lansdowne Street, moved to Canada from Sri Lanka when he was five. Their mother, Reema, came here from India at three.
Sanj sat on the executive of the Peterborough Community Church Hockey League and Peterborough
Hockey Association.
All the time they played in Peterborough, there was never an incident. Since moving to Millbrook five years ago, and now playing against small rural centres, a year hasn’t gone by without a racial slur. The boys played soccer and Sukumaran has played four years of high school rugby and football at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School.
“Only in hockey does he get this,” said Sanj. “He won OFSAA in rugby. He’s been successful in football. Never in any other sport has this ever happened.”
Sukumaran is at a loss to explain why.
“I don’t understand why. It’s not much different than the other sports,” he said.
Every time he’s brought a slur to the attention of a referee, he’s been told they can’t do anything because they didn’t hear it. Players, he said, are smart enough to know when a referee is in earshot.
“The first time, I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t really know what to do,” Zachary said.
“The second time, it was more frustrating to hear it again. As I got older, I just got fed up with it and started shoving the kid. This time I just snapped because I’m sick of it.”
He told his coach, John MacDonald, who is also Millbrook’s Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) rep. He said MacDonald asked the referee to note it in the game report. MacDonald, who didn’t return calls seeking comment, also informed the OMHA.
OMHA executive director Ian Taylor issued the following response to an interview request: “This serious issue is being treated as a major infraction of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association Code of Conduct, and an investigation is underway, which will include all involved. There is no need for a formal complaint to be submitted due to the nature of this situation regarding a verbal exchange behind the play, and we plan for a swift, appropriate resolution,” Taylor stated.
No response was received to an email to Woodville Minor Hockey president Blaine Harris seeking comment.
Sanj Sukumaran said he’s been told the Woodville player has been suspended, but he doesn’t know if it was by his association or the OMHA.
Sanj says his son’s response was inappropriate and he has no issue with his son being ejected. His concern is that these incidents keep occurring. At midget, he said, players are told not to fight, and if they do, there are consequences.
“We don’t do the same thing for this kind of ignorance and racism. It’s something we are a little afraid to approach sometimes,” he said.
“Culture change doesn’t happen quickly but dealing with these things does make a difference.”
Sukumaran wants referees to be more aware. His teammates heard it. The timekeeper heard it.
“I hope referees can keep an eye out more for that stuff. It seemed like they were shocked to hear somebody say that, and they didn’t know how to respond,” he said.