Ducks accused of abusing Jewish player
We don't often focus on league-wide issues here at Frequent Flyers, but I thought the gossip web site TMZ had an interesting piece involving hockey yesterday. The main stream sports media isn't always glued to TMZ, but this is an interesting - and shameful, if true - glimpse into life in a professional hockey locker room
Gentleman's Quarterly magazine had a fantastic profile of Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke in their January, 2010 edition, who is trying to rid pro sports of its homophobic attitude after losing his son, Brendan, in a tragic car accident.
You can be the judge in this case. Here is TMZ's report:
A Jewish hockey player drafted by the Anaheim Ducks is suing the team -- claiming coaches within the organization launched multiple "verbal anti-Semitic attacks" ... TMZ has learned.
23-year-old Jason Bailey -- a 3rd round NHL pick in 2005 -- claims from the moment the Ducks assigned him to play for an affiliate team called the Bakersfield Condors ... his coaches unleashed a "barrage of anti-Semitic, offensive and degrading verbal attacks."
In the suit, filed [yesterday] in Orange County Superior Court, Bailey claims the head coach of the Condors told him "[Jews] only care about money and who's who" and that he "never wanted his son to be raised Jewish or to wear a Yarmulke."
Bailey claims the assistant head coach would get in on the Jew-bashing too -- saying things like, "Oh, I just got a friend request from a dirty Jew."
Bailey says the coaches also forced him to travel apart from the team and he was "rarely given any ice time" in games because he's Jewish.
According to the documents, Bailey complained to the Ducks about the hostile work environment -- and the team reacted by instructing the coaches to pen apology letters to Bailey in which they both admitted to using hurtful language.
Bailey was eventually traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2009 -- and insists the Ducks were "happy to be rid of him."
Bailey is suing for unspecified damages.
Calls to the Ducks [by TMZ] have not been returned.
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