Former Referee-In-Chief Says Fighting On Way Out
26/02/2009 18:36
LONDON, Ont. - Former NHL referee-in-chief Bryan Lewis says fighting in hockey is on the way out.
Lewis was part of a Violence in Hockey Symposium staged Tuesday by the Middlesex-London Health Unit, a gathering of hockey officials, coaches, media members and a former professional player at the London Convention Centre.
"I believe the screw is finally being turned," Lewis said in an interview.
"I think it's slowly being removed from the game."
The symposium, attended by 98 coaches, trainers and administrators, sought recommendations leading to a decrease in injuries resulting from gratuitous violence on the ice.
Panellist Bernie Pascall, a veteran sportscaster who did play-by-play for the Vancouver Canucks along with 12 world hockey championships and 12 Memorial Cups, conducted a far-reaching report on violence for the British Columbia government in 2000. Among his findings was evidence of parental and crowd influence, inconsistent officiating, and beneath it all, a `culture' in hockey that celebrates aggressive behaviour as a manly pursuit.
Has he seen changes since his report and recommendations?
"A little, not much," Pascall said. "Young players aren't born to be violent, they're shown to be violent".
Pascall said hundreds of interviews with young hockey players led to frank commentary from the kids. Some dreaded the ride home with their fathers and the vocal criticism en route.
"There are those who embarrass the kids, steal their fun," Pascall said.
One of the B.C. initiatives designed to control parental outbursts at games is a "Parent Contract" which enables arena management to oust overly aggressive parents from games.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I don’t know if I agree with Lewis on this one, folks. Maybe fighting will be banned in minor hockey, but in professional hockey it sells tickets – particularly in the U.S. and, therefore, I doubt it will ever be banned from the game.