Thursday, March 28, 2024

Blackhawks Ban Four Fans For Racist Taunt Against Capitals Forward Devante Smith-Pelly

[videowaywire video_id=”11CD3BB8FD000EDB”]

Devante Smith-Pelly of the Washington Capitals (L) reacts to the racist taunts of Chicago Blackhawk fans at Chicago's United Center (Feb. 17, 2018)
Devante Smith-Pelly of the Washington Capitals (L) reacts to the racist taunts of Chicago Blackhawk fans at Chicago’s United Center (Feb. 17, 2018)

*The Chicago Blackhawks have banned four fans from attending their home games after they shouted racist taunts toward Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly.

During the third period of Saturday’s game at the United Center, Smith-Pelly was sitting in the penalty box when fans on the other side of the glass started yelling “basketball, basketball, basketball” toward the winger, who is African American.

An off-ice official sitting next to Smith-Pelly notified United Center security and the fans were thrown off the premises.

The Blackhawks issued an apology to both Smith-Pelly and the Capitals.

“Racist comments and other inappropriate behavior are not tolerated by the Chicago Blackhawks,” team spokesman Adam Rogowin said Monday in a statement.

“Totally unacceptable in our game, in any sport and in society today,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said after the morning skate ahead of Monday night’s home game against the Los Angeles Kings. “We’ve got to learn from something like that. It can’t happen.”

There are fewer than 30 black players currently on NHL teams. Smith-Pelly debuted in 2011 and has played 320 games for the Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and the Capitals, whom he joined last summer. He has seven goals and nine assists in 54 games, according to ESPN.

Interviewed about Saturday’s racist taunts, Smith-Pelly said Sunday that it happens a lot.

“It was a little different from the night before in Minnesota where that guy was just joking around I guess and didn’t really cross the line,” Smith-Pelly said. “What was said this time around crossed the line, so you can kind of tell from my reaction.”

The 25-year-old said he also discussed the situation with his father.

“We’ve talked about this before,” he said. “It’s happened in hockey before. It’s happened to people we personally know. We’ve had the conversation. It’s just a few ignorant people being idiots, that’s it. … He just said it’s a few idiots being ignorant.”

Smith-Pelly couldn’t believe this was happening in 2018.

“It’s disgusting. It’s sad that in 2018 we’re still talking about the same thing, over and over,” he said. “It’s sad that athletes like myself 30, 40 years ago were standing in the same spot saying the same thing. You’d think there’d be some sort of change or progression but we’re still working toward it, I guess, and we’re going to keep working toward it.”

Smith-Pelly told the Toronto Star in 2017 about an incident when he was playing in his first rookie tournament in Penticton, British Columbia. He was coming off the ice and heard a fan scream, “Go back to playing basketball.”

“I guess I … kind of brushed it off,” he said Sunday. “But we’re at a time right now where you can’t brush it under the rug. You got to start calling people out and making sure people see other people’s true colors. … I’m trying to get the conversation started and show whoever these people were their true colors.”

Ironically, February is the designated month for the NHL’s “Hockey Is For Everyone” promotion, which “uses the game of hockey to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities.”

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