In Lacrosse We Trust has obtained detailed reports surrounding the Mann Cup drama that took place last fall in Peterborough Ontario. The reports reveal that the Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA) Discipline Committee charged several members of each organization with violating the CLA Code of Conduct during the 2012 Canadian senior men’s lacrosse championships.
As a result, the Peterborough Lakers have been fined $5000 while the Langley Thunder were assessed a fine of $3500. Suspensions were also handed out to players, coaches and personnel from both organizations.
Lakers Head Coach and General Manager Jamie Batley was named for his involvement during two separate occasions including assaulting a Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES) chaperone, preventing the chaperone access to a player as well as swearing and charging at a CCES Doping Control Official. Batley was given a five game suspension and placed on probation for one year. On top of that, Batley has agreed to hold a press conference in Peterborough to publicly apologize for his behaviour.
Assistant Coaches Bobby Keast and Jim Milligan were both named in the report for breaching the CLA Code of Conduct on September 12th of last year. The document states that Keast breached the code by yelling obscenities and stopping a CCES official while Milligan swore at a CCES Doping Control Officer. After submitting letters of apology, charges against Keast were dropped while Milligan has been placed on probation for one year.
Assistant Trainers Roger Fowler and Steve Hynes were also named in the documents for breaching the Code of Conduct. Fowler was charged with swearing and yelling at doping control officials and is also accused of possibly switching jerseys on a player selected for testing while Hynes breached the code by assaulting a CCESS chaperone. Fowler and Hynes both submitted letters of apology which resulted in charges against Fowler being dropped completely while Hynes was given a two game suspension and placed on probation for one year.
Mark Steenhuis was the lone Laker player named in the release; he breached the code by refusing to cooperate with a Doping Control Official and yelling at CCES personnel. The release did not state a punishment for Steenhuis.
The Langley Thunder on the other hand have a longer rap sheet with several violations of the Code of Conduct and unlike the Lakers, they are not apologizing for their actions.
Langley’s General Manager Gerry Van Beek was named several times in the documents and will be suspended for one game plus he will be placed on probation for one year. Van Beek breached the provisions of the CLA Code of Conduct by tweeting events during the doping control, thus breaching confidentiality and privacy. He also tweeted a picture of Shayne Jackson seated with a doping official which has also been deemed a violation. Van Beek also verbally engaged words with a Peterborough player in the hallway and police had to come in and intervene. Van Beek admits to using foul language during that exchange but said he does not believe this was in violation of the Code of Conduct.
Head Coach Rod Jensen was also named numerous times in the report and will face the biggest punishment of anyone involved. Jensen has admitted to criticizing the CLA in the media as well as making inappropriate remarks about CLA convenor Chuck Miller but he denies being verbally aggressive and abusive with one of the CCES Doping Control Officials. The report also states that he berated CCES personnel for wearing identification because it might upset his players but he denies that as well. Jensen has been placed on probation for one year and was given a ten game suspension; two games for each Code of Conduct violation plus four games for his “crude and rude” behavior towards an official.
Thunder Forward Athan Iannucci was also named but it was concluded that in the larger scheme of things, his role was relatively minor and he was found not to be in violation of the Code of Conduct. Iannucci was originally accused of walking away from doping officials and avoiding them after game four. Iannucci said that he did not know it was a doping official and he walked past because he needed to get to the hospital to treat an injury he had suffered in the game.
In Lacrosse We Trust obtained a four page document about the Peterborough Lakers involvement and a fourteen page document on the Langley Thunder; both of which can be found below.
http://secure.pointstreaksites.com/files/uploaded_documents/357/Mann_Cup,_CLA_v_Lakers_FINAL.pdf
http://secure.pointstreaksites.com/files/uploaded_documents/357/Mann_Cup,_CLA_v_Langley,_FINAL.pdf
