The RCMP are investigating a disturbing on-ice incident at the Burnaby Winter Club.
The club says a coach was immediately fired after a physical altercation with a player.
RCMP confirmed they received a call from someone at the Burnaby Winter Club on May 19, the day of the alleged assault.
It is alleged an assistant coach grabbed a player’s jersey and crosschecked him during a team practice.
The player was not injured and did not want to provide a statement to RCMP. Video of the incident was handed over to police and is being reviewed.
There are no charges against the coach at this time.
BC Hockey CEO Cameron Hope says such incidents are rare.
“In this particular case, it sounds as though they took action,” he said, adding that the club “took swift action in terms of taking care of the situation on the ground.”
In a letter to academy families, hockey director Richard Matvichuk and general manager Glenn Jeffrey said the club is taking the situation very seriously.
“The coach’s contract with BWC was immediately terminated, and the incident has been reported to the Burnaby RCMP,” the letter said.
“We assure you, player safety is our highest priority, and there is zero-tolerance for adults laying hands on players.”
The club sent a written statement to Global News that said the health and wellness of players is its top priority. It went on to say the internal issues that happened earlier this month were promptly addressed after they occurred.
The club said it will have no further comment on the matter.
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