Women’s basketball players at Columbia Bible College (CBC) in British Columbia, Canada, have signed a letter responding to an opposing team refusing to play a game over alleged abuse at CBC. has been Transgender players.
Vancouver Island University (VIU) made the announcement on Thursday. Will not play Its two games against CBC this weekend follow an incident in the last meeting between the two teams in October, in which a CBC coach was accused of treating a trans athlete in a manner that violated the coach’s code of conduct. was violated. VIU has asked its conference, the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST), not to penalize its team for not playing due to the nature of the situation.
Harriet McKenzie, a transgender player at VIU, has made public statements alleging abuse by CBC coaches and players.
The CBC players’ letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, condemned the VIU team for “personal attacks,” “defamatory comments” and even “comments that incite violence” against their coach. is
“Videos and letters posted by members of the VIU women’s basketball team over the past three months have directly violated several rules outlined in Article 17.2 of the Constitution. Various posts include ‘personal attacks,’ ‘defamation,’ Misleading comments,’ including ‘lack of respect’ for PACWEST,’ and ‘violent and/or hateful comments’ directed at our coach,” the letter read.
“Any and all allegations made by VIU players about our team and coach should have been communicated directly to PACWEST officials only, not publicly uploaded to social media. ”
The letter even called the VIU players’ statements “false information”.
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“The attacks on Coach Claggett’s character and our team’s character over the past three months are misinformed and one side of a complex picture.”
Posted by Mackenzie. A video on the athlete’s Instagram page on Oct. 30, alleging that Columbia Bible head coach Taylor Claggett “surrounded one of our athletic staff and taunted me about how I shouldn’t be allowed to play.”
McKenzie said he was intentionally fouled on the ground by a Columbia Bible player.
“I fell two hands off number 13 with no ball in sight, then head coach Claggett could be seen clapping in support,” said the trans-athlete.
McKenzie helped lead the Mariners to the 2022-23 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association national championship. This season, the athlete is second in the PACWEST in scoring with 16.1 points per game and third in rebounds with 9.4 per game, as VIU is 11-1 in the conference. McKenzie is also second in the conference in shooting percentage at 49.7 percent.
“I believe all trans people should be included in sports,” McKenzie said in the video. “But it’s especially upsetting to me, because I’m playing — and being forced to play — a big biopic.” at a loss,” Mackenzie said in the video. “I never went through male puberty. I only went through female puberty. And I don’t have ovaries, I don’t have testicles, so I have no way to make testosterone.”
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The CBC players’ letters also claim that the VIU team violated standard procedures for canceling games, and that the PACWEST did not hold VIU to an appropriate standard.
“In the past, when a team refused to attend and travel to a scheduled game, it received 0 rating points. By postponing games this weekend, the PACWEST went against standard operating procedures. Our No clear rationale has been provided to the team to justify this departure from normal procedures,” the letter read.
“Additionally, Article 13 Section 9.1.1 states that if a team cannot make a scheduled game, the coach or athletic director must contact the opposing athletics director to inform them of ‘their inability to meet their scheduled commitment. Tell me the reason.’ To our knowledge, this requirement has not been met.”
The CBC players, who have remained silent until then, believe they can no longer do so.
“Until now we have been silent. We have respected PacWest and VIU in the past few months by staying off social media and expressing our concerns through official channels. Or the CBC and primarily speaking on social media. have discussed,” the letter read.
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“Their behavior has been rewarded by how their refusal to play this weekend has been handled. We are writing this letter to ensure that our voices are heard in this conversation. Go, and that the respect we have shown throughout this process should not be mistaken for inaction.”
“They want our side of the story to be told,” CBC head coach Taylor Claggett told Fox News Digital.
As of June 2017, all locations within Canada expressly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression within the Canadian Human Rights Act, equal opportunity and/or anti-discrimination legislation. This law protects the inclusion of all trans athletes in women’s and girls’ sports.
In the US, President-elect Trump has vowed to ban trans athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports. Trump has also repeatedly suggested that Canada join the United States, possibly as the 51st state.
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