Hockey is not for everyone, writes Akim Aliu. When professional ice hockey player Akim Aliu hits the ice, he focuses on scoring and prepares for contact. During these difficult past few months, I’ve done lots of thinking and self reflection, and decided to tell the story of my own journey in my own words. Hockey is not for everyone. “He had nothing but hate in his heart back then,” wrote Aliu. Earlier in May, Aliu shared even more of his experiences of racism in hockey on The Players' Tribune. “The N.H.L., though, is not hockey. Akim Aliu as a member of the Calgary Flames in 2012. I was the kid who wouldn’t go along with it. But when he was one of the few Black players in … In the article, Aliu discussed a high-profile hazing incident that took place when he was 16 and playing with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. Akim Aliu says ex-NHL player Steve Downie is a ... spelled out the whole thing in a strongly worded op-ed for The Player's Tribune ... Downie terrorized him while both players … When I saw that, it made me feel that people like us, the outcasts, are a chore to them. I hope this will inspire the next generation of athletes when things return to normal. It has the same problems that plague our whole world. As Aliu notes, he spoke with Gary Bettman and Bill Daly earlier this year to discuss the issues that he has encountered with racism in hockey, as well as some potential solutions against them. {{ video.Name veteran who is black, “but it’s also our job to protect the people in the game that have done a great job trying to help these issues go away, and I think we can’t forget to talk about those people, as well.”. There needs to be proper acknowledgment of how diverse our game is becoming. As hockey continues to become an increasingly diverse game, many of the traditional power structures have to be challenged in order to ensure that everyone can properly be a part of it. Akim Aliu detailed the racism he faced in the NHL in a piece for the Players Tribune. Peters, who by 2019 was coaching the Calgary Flames, resigned shortly after the accusations but has since been hired to coach a team in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. Akim Aliu, the No. Subban, who acknowledged that he had not yet read The Players’ Tribune article, commended Aliu’s outspokenness, but cautioned that the responsibility for change should not fall on any one group’s shoulders. (Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images) Let’s rip the Band-Aid off from the top: the silence of white NHL players when it comes to the racism their fellow black hockey players continue to endure is deafening. Canada News Media provides the latest news from Canada! Read the Hockey Is Not for Everyone | By Akim Aliu - The Players' Tribune and find out a lot of new information with us. Aliu’s comments resurfaced an examination of the sport’s culture that became especially urgent in November when Aliu, who was born in Nigeria and reared in Ukraine and Canada, accused Coach Bill Peters, who is white, of referring to him with a racial slur when the two were with the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs during the 2009-10 season. This is an absolute must-read, folks. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images) Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said he's on board. “It’s of everyone.”. As an American Hockey League player with the Rockford IceHogs, Akim Aliu accused then-coach Bill Peters of racial abuse in 2009, leading to the disgraced coach being released by the Calgary Flames. Hockey is not unique. K’Andre Miller was subjected to repeated racist slurs, ask nonblack players and members of the news media, Aliu’s accusations against Peters became public. Former NHL forward Akim Aliu is calling on the league to do more to embrace diversity as anti-racism protests flare across the U.S. and Canada. }}. Earlier in May, Aliu shared even more of his experiences of racism in hockey on The Players’ Tribune. He added: “If you’ve heard of me, you’ve heard of the hazing incident that took place that season. But Aliu’s latest comments have ignited strong responses from the rest of the hockey community, as players, fans, and other stakeholders reckon with an issue they say cannot be resolved from the top down. In a piece that dove into the past to help hockey step into a better future, Akim Aliu spoke to the Players’ Tribune yesterday about his experience with racism in the OHL. Akim Aliu wants to inspire the next generation of young hockey players. It’s not like Akim Aliu is unknown to the biggest names in the sport. The television commentator Don Cherry was fired in November for making xenophobic comments during “Hockey Night in Canada,” one of the sport’s marquee showcases. Aliu’s article, titled “Hockey Is Not For Everyone,” a reference to the N.H.L.’s “Hockey Is For Everyone” diversity campaign, pointed to advancements the league has made but also noted that racism is a pervasive problem beyond the professional level. Aliu, 31, said that after he refused to strip naked for a rookie hazing ritual, a teammate retaliated by attacking him with a hockey stick in their next practice, knocking out seven of his teeth. Former NHL player Akim Aliu joins the 3rd hour of TODAY to talk about the racism, hazing and bullying he says he endured as a young player. At least not yet. “I wanted to make it as raw as possible. Akim Aliu detailed the racism he faced in the NHL in a piece for the Players Tribune. Akim Aliu, a former National Hockey League player, gave a harrowing account this week in The Players’ Tribune about his experiences with racism in the sport. “We’re going to need those star players to come out and back up the conversation. In an interview with the Players’ Tribune, Aliu, who is a black hockey player, revealed how he was abused and mistreated by Downie, who played in the league for nine seasons. Akim Aliu (born April 24, 1989) is a Nigerian born Canadian-Ukrainian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent.He most recently played for HC Litvínov in the Czech Extraliga (ELH). The information you requested is not available at this time, please check back again soon. Kane shared that post on social media, and now he and Aliu have combined to lead a new effort. Earlier in May, Aliu shared even more of his experiences of racism in hockey on The Players’ Tribune. He tells us that hockey “isn’t” for everyone, a mantra some of us have been chanting for quite some time, so I’m guessing many among the rabble wish he would just shut his squawk box and disappear like summer wages. “There was a lot of discussion, of course, around the league about how to move forward from such an incident. On Tuesday, Aliu took to The Players’ Tribune with a gripping essay on racism in hockey, connecting his own experiences such as playing under Bill Peters or receiving hateful social media messages to others such as K'Andre Miller’s public Zoom call with the NHL that was bombarded with racist slurs. It’s heartbreaking to see even a sampling of the vitriol that Aliu receives — he shares screenshots in his essay — but hopefully, his hard work pays off for the next generation. Among the hundreds of people who replied was Liz Knox, a former member of the Canadian national women’s hockey team, who pledged to “question my own privilege, and look for areas of opportunity for inclusion as we build a better future for women’s hockey.”. Toronto Maple Leafs Coach Mike Babcock was fired nine days later, ahead of accusations about hazing and abuse of his power. Still, some caution against describing hockey culture as intrinsically problematic. “Thank you @Dreamer_Aliu78 for sharing these truly disturbing accounts of racism and ignorance,” Anaheim Ducks goalie Ryan Miller said in another post. In early May, the N.H.L. Akim Aliu There’s very little fresh messaging provided by Akim Aliu in the essay he has written for The Players’ Tribune. 56 overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, poses for a photo. I wanted to make it as truthful and as meaningful as possible. The kid who didn’t ‘get’ the culture.”. Former NHL player Akim Aliu began to speak out about the racism he experienced in hockey late last year. This whole situation is proof of that, that a lot of players still feel silenced. Former NHLer and current ELH skater Akim Aliu spoke out about the toxic nature of hockey culture in a powerful Players’ Tribune piece titled “Hockey Is Not for Everyone”. Hockey Is Not for Everyone. Five days after Babcock’s dismissal, Aliu’s accusations against Peters became public. In a telephone interview on Thursday, Aliu said that the coronavirus pandemic had given him an opportunity to reflect on his journey through life and hockey. “We must all do better and help bring change,” Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner wrote in a Twitter post. “In creating our alliance, we are confident we can inspire a new generation of hockey players … Something to tick off a checklist and forget about for a year. Or like I was an animal in the circus. Aliu wrote that the player was Steve Downie, a top prospect who went on to play 434 games in the N.H.L. He detailed his experience in a piece written in The Players’ Tribune titled “Hockey Is Not For Everyone.” He said he had reached out to The Players’ Tribune three weeks earlier about describing his experience. Aliu’s unusually frank post — in which he challenged the culture of the sport and named his tormentor — intensified a debate within the hockey community about efforts to diversify. It’s a hockey league, but hockey is its own thing.”. After an article by the former N.H.L. On Tuesday, a powerful piece written by former NHL player Akim Aliu was posted to The Players' Tribune, and in it, Aliu details more of the racist abuse he … The end goal here is to create a system, from top to bottom, that welcomes and nourishes everyone from every background. Kane shared that post on social media, and now he and Aliu have combined to lead a new effort. Kane shared that post on social media, and now he and Aliu have combined to lead a new effort. Aliu also discussed more recent racial incidents, including an April videoconference chat with fans in which the Rangers prospect K’Andre Miller was subjected to repeated racist slurs from a hacker. The N.H.L. In an article he penned for the Players Tribune Aliu called former NHL player Steve Downie a "racist sociopath" based on the way that Downie treated him during their time together in the Ontario Hockey League. At least not yet. That’s the argument being made by Akim Aliu in a story he has written for The Players’ Tribune, published on Tuesday. And when you don’t feel like you’re encouraged to take part in the game in the sport’s biggest league, you feel that pain in your soul.". Because I know there are kids like me out there who have a hard time seeing themselves in the NHL. “It’s not just the responsibility of the black players or players from different backgrounds in the league,” Subban said on the podcast. In the article, Aliu referred to Downie as a “racist sociopath.” Downie could not be reached for comment after multiple attempts by email and on social media to contact him through former teams and associates. It isn’t easy to read, but it comes from a place of well-meaning — Aliu’s stated goal is to make sure that the game is inclusive, especially towards the next generation of young black or minority players who might otherwise feel unwelcome. This has an immediate impact on youth involvement. [Players Tribune] Thanks to this guy, that was the way I was introduced to the entire hockey world. players have expressed support for Aliu on social media. #TimeToDream https://t.co/UuVykTMpU9, Painful to read, but incredibly important words from @Dreamer_Aliu78. To be fair, I think the league has made positive steps regarding what happened,” he wrote. Meaningful change is not going to start until players start coming out and voicing their support.”, Akim Aliu’s Account of Racism Pushes Hockey to Search Its Soul, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/23/sports/hockey/akim-aliu-nhl-racism.html. “For me, I have so many teammates and players that I’ve played with who have been so supportive of me in my career, and coaches and GMs that don’t look like me but paved the way for me to get to the National Hockey League,” P.K. In a recent piece for the Players’ Tribune published earlier this week, Aliu … Since his article was published, N.H.L. Akim Aliu, a former National Hockey League player, gave a harrowing account this week in The Players’ Tribune about his experiences with racism in the sport. "We should be showing off the diversity our game is capable of having. Akim Aliu's piece on The Player's Tribune is unsurprisingly rough and brutal Sports and Racing - Hockey This is a split board - You can return to the Split List for other boards. That compelled Aliu to write a piece in the Players’ Tribune, calling the sport out for its horrible track record of bullying. https://t.co/imi7VldjA5. “Because it’s told in my words, I wanted to get my full point across,” he said. The discussion comes as hockey is in the midst of a reckoning on its culture. Hockey is not for everyone, writes Akim Aliu. “Our job is to make the game better,” added Subban, an 11-year N.H.L. There’s very little fresh messaging provided by Akim Aliu in the essay he has written for The Players’ Tribune. Subban, the New Jersey Devils defenseman, said in a podcast interview on Friday. Aliu says before he got to the NHL, Downie terrorized him while both players were … Akim Aliu. “He was two years older than me and a rising star, and he wielded his power over me like I was nothing — like I was subhuman,” Aliu wrote. “I hope that we can all listen and be active participants in the change that is needed.”. player was published, various hockey players, fans and other stakeholders committed to reckoning with a culture they say cannot be fixed from the top down. issued a statement denouncing “inexcusable conduct” by Washington Capitals forward Brendan Leipsic and the Florida Panthers prospect Jack Rodewald, who made misogynistic comments in a group chat that was hacked. On Tuesday, Aliu took to The Players’ Tribune with a gripping essay on racism in hockey, connecting his own experiences such as playing under Bill Peters or receiving hateful social media messages to others such as K'Andre Miller’s public Zoom call with the NHL that was bombarded with racist slurs. READ MORE: Former NHL player Akim Aliu meets with league execs, says ‘big change’ expected Aliu followed that up by penning a Players’ Tribune article last … In the Players Tribune piece, he accuses former NHLer Steve Downie of being a “racist sociopath” for his role in the infamous Windsor Spitfires hazing incident back in 2005. Aliu clearly wants to be an agent of change, and he’s not afraid to stir it up. The NHL shoved their LGBTQ and “Hockey is For Everyone” support programs into the same month as black history month. More information on the site! In a candid Players’ Tribune essay, 1 former Calgary Flames forward Akim Aliu, who is Nigerian, detailed instances of racist abuse that he suffered during his playing career — … I was surrounded by the types of players I had dreamed of playing with and I had never felt more alone." The Players Tribune published an article an article by former player Akim Aliu that every single person who considers themselves a hockey fan needs to … A post shared by TSN (@tsn_official) on May 19, 2020 at 7:42am PDT, The Wild stuck around after the game to congratulate Patrick Marleau, The best outdoor basketball courts in Canada, Oliver Ekman-Larsson guaranteed a win for Leighton Accardo and the Coyotes came through. began an investigation into that accusation and said in a statement that “the behavior that has been alleged is repugnant and unacceptable.” The result of the investigation has not been made public, and a league spokesman declined to comment on Aliu’s article, referring to the N.H.L.’s initial response. He’s feeling positive about the direction of the league, but acknowledges there is still some work to be done, as well. I definitely think hockey has a long way to go. 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