GUELPH, Ont. – The University of Guelph has suspended its men’s rugby team for two games over an off-campus party that breached the student athletic code of conduct.
Guelph athletics director Tom Kendall said the Sept. 17 party violated the code over both misuse of alcohol and staging an initiation.
“It’s more the alcohol,” Kendall said in an interview. “Nobody was hurt and the police weren’t involved. It wasn’t severe in that sense, it wasn’t a hazing incident.
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“It was just one of those situations where because there was alcohol involved, it was not within the standards we expect of our athletes.”
“Initiation-type parties” are not allowed at the university.
“We just don’t think it reflects well on our department and we basically put that in the code of conduct,” Kendall said.
Kendall declined to say what kind of initiation was involved, saying it was not “100 per cent clear.”
The suspension means the Gryphons will forfeit games against Toronto (Oct. 14) and McMaster (Oct. 21). The games will go down as 1-0 defeats.
Guelph will play its final regular season game Oct. 29 against Queen’s in Kingston, Ont.
Guelph (3-1-1) currently stands second in the OUA standings.
“Losing these games will hurt them and that’s unfortunate because they’re having one of their best years ever,” Kendall said. “But this is unfortunately one of those life lessons.”
Kendall said the case is now considered closed.
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