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This week, Hockey Canada has come under fire due to its handling of misconduct claims against coach Mat Weidenfelder. Weidenfelder, who had played professional hockey in Kazakhstan, is coaching a youth program in Toronto. Before that, he was coaching a U22 team as part of the Ontario Women's Junior League.
According to TSN, during the 2021-22 season, where he coached the North York Junior Storm U22 elite team, which acts as a feeder program for the NCAA, Canadian Collegiate hockey programs and Professional Women's Hockey League, 50 separate allegations were filed with Hockey Canada regarding Weidenfelder's behavior.
Weidenfelder reportedly breached the code of conduct, both with his actions and comments. On one occasion, he told female players that regardless of whether or not it was fine with them, so long as they were wearing sports bras, he would enter the dressing room.
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On another occasion, he pulled down his pants and showed his rear while photobombing a picture being taken by a female player and her father. In another instance, he reportedly called a teenage player hot and used an accent when addressing a player described as being "of South Asian descent".
As a result of the allegations, Hockey Canada hit him with a six-month suspension, but the program decided to keep his suspension and the allegations under wraps. As the investigator in the case wrote in a statement relayed by TSN:
“While (Weidenfelder’s) conduct was inappropriate in many instances, such conduct was not so egregious to warrant permanent ineligibility. Rather, (Weidenfelder) ought to be re-integrated into Hockey Canada activities under certain conditions.”
Looking further at Hockey Canada's handling of Mat Weidenfelder's code of conduct violations
During Mat Weidenfelder's six-month suspension, the coach took a "respect in sports" course. After completing the course and fulfilling his suspension, he was allowed to return to coaching.
According to TSN, Hockey Canada never made the code of conduct violations public. Given that, when he took a coaching job with another program in Toronto, they were unaware that Weidenfeld was fresh off a suspension.
After the allegations of misconduct came to light, the president of Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association, with whom Weidenfelder is coaching, relayed a statement to TSN regarding the situation:
“All TLGHA volunteers and paid coaches meet the screening requirements of our governing bodies, the (Ontario Hockey Federation) and (Ontario Women’s Hockey Association).
“We diligently enforce this policy prior to every season. In this instance, Mr. Weidenfelder's vulnerable sector check criminal background check was cleared, and the OWHA approved the roster. TLGHA has followed up with the OWHA for guidance on how to proceed.”
The news comes amid calls for Hockey Canada and other organizations to make investigations and sanctions public. Whether or not this case plays any role in their decision going forward, only time will tell.
