Cyberbullying is widespread worldwide and is not new. However, it appears that the problem has grown, particularly since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Throughout Quebec, there are numerous examples of slippage. As surprising as it may seem, athletes are increasingly the target… of their own supporters.
Blackburn in reflection
Last weekend, in Saguenay, the head coach of the Marquis de Jonquière, Bob Desjardins, took advantage of a post-match press briefing to denounce the attacks suffered by his goalkeeper, the former man masked Val-d’Or Drillers, William Blackburn.
The native of Hébertville in Lac-Saint-Jean was attacked by Marquis fans, dissatisfied with his performance as a rookie goalie in the North American Hockey League (LNAH). “I hope it’s not you who EMPTY This evening!” a user wrote to him. “Stay at home!” threw another one at him.
Discouraged, the 21-year-old goalkeeper is thought to be thinking about his future, having given up on European hockey to continue his career with the team from his native region.
Marquis head coach Bob Desjardins. (Marquis of Jonquière)
“It pains me to see this, because I believe in him,” lamented Desjardins. I find that really regrettable. It remains a game hockey. I never thought I would experience that in the North American League.”
The Océanic must react
About ten days ago, in the Maritimes Quebec Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), a circuit made up of players aged 16 to 20, the Rimouski Océanic had to close the comment section of its Facebook page after a tough defeat by 10 to 2 against the Cataractes in Shawinigan.
Not to muzzle his supporters, but to protect the members of the team by preventing certain people, with ill intentions, from taking advantage of the situation to pour out their gall to the wind.
The Océanic of head coach Joël Perrault is nevertheless one of the best teams in the QMJHL with its record of 24-10-0-2. (Caroline Grégoire/Archives Le Soleil)
These cases of cyberbullying are reminiscent of the sad slip-up at the 2019 World Juniors when Maxime Comtois, a member of the Canadian team, missed a penalty shot in the quarter-finals against Finland.
Canada had lowered its flag and frustrated fans insulted Comtois for his Quebec origins and went so far as to invite the 19-year-old striker to kill himself, which sparked everyone’s indignation at the time. .
Five years later, we are not much further along. Mistakes abound on the web and a simple scan of the social networks of teams in difficulty is enough to trace inappropriate, not to say defamatory, comments.
Sylvain Croteau, the general director of Sport’Aide, an independent non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure the development and maintenance of a healthy, safe and harmonious environment in sport, confirms that the worrying trend does not seem about to run out of steam.
A “wound” in his eyes. “I don’t need to recall the outpouring against Cédric Paré of the Maple Leafs after the hit on Patrik Laine,” notes Croteau. Sport does not escape the excesses of social networks. The first thing is to discuss it publicly and educate people on the right ways to do things.”
Canadian forward Patrik Laine lying on the ice during a preparatory game against the Toronto Maple Leafs after a check from Quebecer Cédric Paré. (Evan Buhler/Canadian Press Archives)
In junior hockey, coaches and general managers are well aware of the situation, but when they consult lawyers about possible recourse, they are advised to do nothing, to let the virtual hate campaign end with it. -even.
-Zero tolerance in Sherbrooke
Teams have adopted a “zero tolerance policy”. This is the case of the Sherbrooke Phoenix, whose social media are managed by its director of communications and marketing, Annie St-Amand, who managed the case of Maxime Comtois upon his return to Drummondville in 2019.
St-Amand has been with a junior hockey team for 12 years, including eight seasons with the Voltigeurs. She makes it a “duty” to respect freedom of expression while ensuring civility reigns on the Phoenix platforms.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if someone personally attacks a player or a coach, I delete the comment fairly quickly,” she explains. Sometimes, I also take the trouble to respond and when that happens, people delete their message quite quickly, as if they realized that it didn’t make any sense.
Attention appreciated in the Phoenix locker room. “Recently, a player told me: “When you answer them, I think it’s great!”, she says. No matter how much we tell them not to worry about that, they sure see everything.”
An anxiety-provoking situation
The heaviness of social networks in a sporting context weighed in the decision of Félix-Antoine Bourassa, one of the best digital marketing coordinators in Canadian junior hockey, to accept a new challenge in the last few days.
The former employee of the Huskies and the Remparts speaks of an “anxious situation” when he describes the climate that reigns on social networks, which vibrate seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
“You win, everyone is super happy, and you lose, everyone is super unhappy,” summarizes Bourassa. It’s quickly filled with very bad comments for nothing. A small matter becomes a storm.”
A spiral
Félix-Antoine Bourassa during the conquest of the President’s Cup of the Remparts in 2023. (Quebec Ramparts)
The social media manager of the Remparts admits to having been swept away by the negative “spiral” on the networks in recent years. “You’re not happy with the two ranking points [après une victoire]you’re relieved because you know you’re not going to get attacked.”
“You fear defeat because you know that afterwards, it won’t be fun.»
— Félix-Antoine Bourassa, the digital marketing coordinator of the Remparts
In all markets, fans often take the role of moderator when things get out of hand, aware that student-athletes are only 16 to 20 years old.
“I don’t understand why people are so capable of writing everything they think,” sighs Annie St-Amand. I think they don’t realize all the impacts it can have.”
Félix-Antoine Bourassa, who has often had to delete degrading comments, would like to send this “message” to fans and managers.
“We need to better equip the players, because they don’t say it loud and clear, but they look at everything and it affects them. People should think twice before posting a comment,” he concludes.
