The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association suspended Red River College from participation in any national sports for one year, and fined the school $1,000, for damage caused to a hotel room at the national hockey championship in Kamloops. Red River vice-president of student services presented letters from the David Thompson Motor Inn and Larry’s Bus Rentals which confirmed that the hockey team was not responsible for either the $1417 damage that the hotel incurred or the $115 suffered by the bus company, according to The Projector. “I was at those nationals and there was no damage, no nothing,” Newman added. As well, college physical education instructor Jack Rutherford, who was CCAA treasurer when the decision was reached, admitted that the alleged damage was all a case of mistaken identities. He also noted that those teams responsible have been sent bills for the damages. Despite this, CCAA President Mal Stelck defended the suspension. The Projector reported that “noting that Red River had already been placed on a one-year probation as a result of the hockey team’s behaviour at the 1985 nationals in Moose Jaw, he said there was no chance of the suspension being revoked. Stelck, who is athletic director at Selkirk College in Castlegar, B.C., also added that the team was involved in other abusive conduct, although he did not offer examples. He echoed the statements he made in a confidential letter to college president Gary Polonsky (dated June 3, 1986) where he called the behaviour of Red River’s team appalling, chastised Newman for his lack of interest in the matter, and asked for Polonsky’s cooperation in ensuring that the college reimburse the hotel and bus company for damages incurred. “Red River’s got a list of violations as long as my arm,”Stelck said. Rutherford, who was Manitoba’s official spokesperson at the CCAA Annual General Meeting in June, admits that he has mixed feelings about the suspension. “hile they Neither Doug Stokes, who coached last year’s team, nor Rebels defenceman Rod Matiation could think of any major incident warranting suspension. While this controversy may be academic, as funding cuts have cancelled this year’s varsity athletics, Newman remains upset. “We were shafted by the CCAA and I intend to appeal and fight it all the way,” said Newman. Interested in protecting the image of the College, Newman called last year’s hockey team, who were undefeated in the Midwest International College Hockey League, a gutsy group of guys that did us proud. Newman added that he can not help but feel that the suspension is unjust as those teams responsible for the damages received no disciplinary action by the CCAA. “Why us?” he asked. Stelck flatly denied Newman’s charge that the CCAA had something against Red River. In doing so, Stelck [said that CCAA] should have come down harder on the other teams, we can not absolve ourselves of responsibility for our actions,” he said. Rutherford said that he voted against the suspension but supported the decision placing Red River on probation after their coach, Doug Smith, threw hockey sticks on the ice — actions which did not promote ethical behaviour in sport. Saying that the real issue was that this unethical behaviour had reoccurred, Rutherford suggested that the best thing to do would be to turn over a new leaf. “When you start to get a reputation, you have to be as good as gold,” he added.
Outraged at the ruling, Red River College, and its student council, promptly suspended its athletic program on the grounds that it wasn’t nationally competitive in any sport and wanted no involvement with the CCAA . The Students’ Association and the provincial government were jointly funding the program, but when the SA pulled out, the government followed. “I guess their thinking was that if the SA didn’t want it, why should they continue to fund it,” Newman said.
Initially, the college suggested that it might review the decision within a year but the suspension was to last 20 years.