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Women’s college basketball team in Vancouver, Canada refuses to play Christian university team over alleged abuse a trans athlete. Christian University has denied the allegations.
Vancouver Island University released a statement Wednesday announcing it will not play its upcoming games against Columbia Bible College. Vancouver Island’s statement said that during the previous game between the two teams on Oct. 25, coach Columbia Bible handled a transgender player in a manner that violates the Coach’s Code of Ethics.
“Intimidation, harassment and discrimination have no place in athletics,” the statement said. “VIU fully supports our student-athletes and affirms the right of all athletes to compete in an environment where their safety and well-being comes first.”
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The school also asked its Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) athletic conference not to penalize the team for refusing to play.
The Columbia Bible released a statement to Fox News Digital about the decision and Vancouver Island’s statement.
“This was unexpected news for us,” the statement reads. “CBC stands for safe play for everyone. Allegations that CBC, its coaches, players and fans pose a security threat are simply untrue and misinformed.”
Columbia Bible’s statement also said the university is developing a security plan to provide additional security for games featuring trans athletes.
“The CBC has a reputation as an organization that provides a safe environment, but out of an abundance of caution, the CBC, in collaboration with PACWEST, has developed an event security plan specifically for these games. We received information from VIU and the Abbotsford Police Department. This plan included additional security measures among others,” the statement said.
All Vancouver Island players signed a letter saying they do not feel safe playing at Columbia Bible after the October incident.
The trans player is third-year forward Harriet McKenzie, who is openly transgender, as reported by multiple outlets.
McKenzie posted a video on the athlete’s Instagram page on Oct. 30 alleging that Columbia Bible head coach Taylor Clagett “cornered one of our athletic staff and went on a tirade about how I shouldn’t be allowed to play.”
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Mackenzie said she was also intentionally knocked to the ground by a Columbia Bible player.
“I was thrown to the ground with two hands at number 13 without playing the ball and then you could see head coach Clagett applauding in support,” said the trans athlete.
In response, Clagett posted a statement on Instagram saying Mackenzie’s claims were inaccurate.
“My intention has nothing to do with a specific athlete, but rather the safety of female athletes in their sport,” she wrote.
Vancouver Island has filed a formal complaint with PACWEST as the investigation into the matter is currently ongoing. The university says McKenzie’s participation is in accordance with conference policy.
“VIU strictly adheres to the rules and regulations established by PACWEST and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), including the CCAA’s policy regarding the participation of transgender students and athletes,” the statement said.
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PACWEST released its own statement on the matter on November 1.
“PACWEST is aware that the involvement of transgender student-athletes has recently received public attention. As a member of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), PACWEST follows national policies and procedures for all sports leading up to CCAA championships, including the CCAA. transgender student and athlete participation policy,” the statement said.
“Additionally, PACWEST encourages everyone to engage in education through the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport (CCES) with their findings regarding diversity and inclusion and transgender people in sport.. Creating a safe and inclusive environment for all involved is a shared responsibility.”
In the US, President-elect Trump has promised to ban trans athletes from participating in competitions among girls and women. Trump has also repeatedly suggested that Canada join the US, possibly as the 51st state.
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