Player calls out the NCAA for not doing anything after he was the victim of a racial slurs
Late on Monday night, Michigan State University player Jagger Joshua made a statement on Twitter, bringing to light the inaction of the Big Ten League when a player used a racial slurs towards Joshua on the ice.
Joshua's statement reads below:
ACTS OF RACISM DO NOT BELONG IN HOCKEY, AS THEY CAN DISCOURAGE AFRICAN AMERICANS AND MINORITIES LIKE MYSELF FROM PLAYING AND LOVING THE GAME. INACTION IN THE FACE OF RACIST COMMENTS AND ACTIONS ALLOW THESE BEHAVIORS TO CONTINUE.
ON NOV. 11 IN OUR GAME AGAINST OHIO STATE, ONE OF THEIR PLAYERS CALLED ME A RACIAL SLUR MULTIPLE TIMES. ONE OF THE OFFICIALS HEARD THE SLUR AND GAVE THE PLAYER A GAME MISCONDUCT PENALTY. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION BY THE BIG TEN IN THE DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT, BUT NO FURTHER PUBLIC ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE OR OHIO STATE.
THE INACTION HAS LEFT ME FEELING CONFUSED AND PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF DIVERSITY WITHIN HOCKEY CULTURE. THE IGNORANCE OF RACISM DOES NOT BELONG IN OUR GAME, AND FEEL THAT I NEED TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED, BECAUSE WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY TEAMMATES, COACHES, AND STAFF AT MICHIGAN STATE. I AM INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT SINCE THIS INCIDENT AND AS I HAVE NAVIGATED THIS PROCESS.
ON NOV. 11 IN OUR GAME AGAINST OHIO STATE, ONE OF THEIR PLAYERS CALLED ME A RACIAL SLUR MULTIPLE TIMES. ONE OF THE OFFICIALS HEARD THE SLUR AND GAVE THE PLAYER A GAME MISCONDUCT PENALTY. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION BY THE BIG TEN IN THE DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT, BUT NO FURTHER PUBLIC ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE OR OHIO STATE.
THE INACTION HAS LEFT ME FEELING CONFUSED AND PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF DIVERSITY WITHIN HOCKEY CULTURE. THE IGNORANCE OF RACISM DOES NOT BELONG IN OUR GAME, AND FEEL THAT I NEED TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED, BECAUSE WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY TEAMMATES, COACHES, AND STAFF AT MICHIGAN STATE. I AM INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT SINCE THIS INCIDENT AND AS I HAVE NAVIGATED THIS PROCESS.
In the coming days, we'll watch the Big Ten League as they respond to Joshua's claims. To think the player was only penalized in-game, not even a suspension or a ban considered, is unjust.
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