A minor hockey match at the Jean-Labonté Provincial Tournament, at the Frank-Robinson arena in the Aylmer sector, degenerated spectacularly last Friday.
Pitting the Outaouais Olympics against the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the M18-AA category, the match was marked by nearly 300 minutes of penalties and altercations in the stands.
Tensions rose in the third period, with fights between players, gross misconduct and verbal abuse towards officials.
The parents, for their part, exchanged blows, requiring the intervention of the Gatineau Police Department. However, the situation was under control upon their arrival and no arrests were made in the absence of formal complaints.
Hockey Quebec strongly denounced these behaviors in a written statement, calling them “unacceptable,” recalling their campaign to promote respect in sport.
For his part, Jean Labonté, sponsor of the tournament, described the incident as isolated.
116 of 117 matches went well. This type of behavior, on and off the ice, does not reflect the spirit of our tournament.
Jean Labonté, Ex-Paralympian member of the national para-hockey team from 1996 to 2010
Hockey Aylmer, Hockey Outaouais and the regional chief referee did not wish to comment on the incident.
The tournament organizers plan, as they do every year, to take stock and make adjustments to avoid such excesses in the future.
This event highlights the recurring challenges in minor hockey regarding respect and integrity, both on the ice and in the stands.
With information from Louis-Charles Poulin
