Three of the seven student athletes suspended from W.J. Mouat Secondary after an alleged hazing incident have had their reviews processed by the school, but the Abbotsford school district is not publicizing the outcome at this point.
Dave Stephen, communications manager for the district, told The News that any discipline issued will not be released until the other four suspended students appear before a district board of review. That proceeding, which will occur in early January 2014, is considered more serious than the school review which the other three were subject to.
“The decision has been to hold any communication of that until we’ve gone through the other (board reviews), just so there’s no presumption of what those outcomes will be,” Stephen said.
The three students whose reviews have been heard have not been reinstated to the senior boys basketball team as yet. None of the suspended players were in the lineup on Friday as the Mouat Hawks played the North Surrey Spartans on the second day of the Hawkball, their annual home tournament.
The seven players were suspended last week amid allegations of hazing during a team trip to Edmonton. The Hawks participated in the Mike Dea Classic tournament at St. Francis Xavier high school, Dec. 5-7.
Edmonton Police Service (EPS) spokesperson Scott Pattison told The News that his force has opened a preliminary investigation into the matter, and CTV reported on Thursday evening that the EPS’s sex crime unit is involved.
“We understand the hazing incident – the alleged incident or incidents – happened at the hotel that the team was staying at,” EPS spokesperson Scott Pattison told CTV. “The investigation is extremely preliminary, and the sex crimes unit is looking at it.”
Stephen reiterated on Friday that the school district will fully support and co-operate with the police investigation.
