University hockey team banned over racist abuse video

A UNIVERSITY hockey team have been banned from playing for two months after a video emerged of a player shouting racist abuse.

The eight-week suspension comes as university authorities pledged to investigate the issue and threatened further action.

The footage, posted on Instagram, shows an unidentified male shouting ‘I f***ing hate n*****s’ and other insults, cheered on by what appear to be teammates, all wearing their hockey club’s ties.

The student, dressed in a Ralph Lauren jumper, shouts into a microphone in the middle of a laughing crowd in what looks like a student flat during a party.

After hurling several racial insults, he turns to the person holding the camera and says: ‘I f***ing hate you’ before the cameraman puts up their middle finger.

The entire Newcastle University men’s hockey club has been ‘suspended from all club activities for the period December 9 until January 13’, and the first and second teams banned until January 30.

In an email to students, the university and student union said all members must attend ‘equality, diversity and inclusion training’ in order for the ban to be lifted.

The team also face a year’s probation during which any similar incidents will result in an ‘ immediate raised-level disciplinary’, it said.

The student, who has not been identified, was approached by a campus newspaper but said he did not want to comment.

A university spokesman said: ‘There is no place for racism or racial harassment of any kind at Newcastle University and we are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all our students and staff. We are appalled by the language used in this video and are actively investigating.’

A spokesman for the university’s men’s hockey club said: ‘As a club we work hard to promote an inclusive and friendly environment and ensure we are a club that is open to everyone in the university.

‘Our club code of conduct has clear guidelines around ethics, roles and responsibilities and the standard of behaviour that is expected of our members.’