The governing body for basketball in Newfoundland and Labrador suspended former professional athlete Carl English after an altercation with a student athlete during a memorial tournament in November.
In a leaked copy of Newfoundland and Labrador Basketball Association documents obtained by CBC News on Wednesday, the league says an incident report was sent to its office after a Nov. 23 game following an allegation of ” emotional abuse of a player. 18
The documents indicate that a copy of the Nov. 29 incident report was provided in English, and the league and its three-member basketball integrity committee were invited to provide a written response.
English responded later that day, explaining that while his team and their opponents, the Mount Pearl Senior High basketball team, were shaking hands after a game, one of Mount Pearl’s players refused to shake English’s hand. .
English said he told the player, “He needs to learn how to win and how to lose.”
English said the player responded with “vulgar comments” and replied, “It’s you too”, which he said was “no big deal”.
According to the documents, English was very specific about what was said in the December 15 email.
“I asked the player not to shake my hand and he replied: ‘Fuck off, fagot.’ I gave him the same response and said: ‘You are a lady for not shaking my hand,'” the league documents read. .
The league says English refused to be heard in person and the committee held a virtual meeting on January 3 to review the incident report and on January 8 to discuss the incident and review NLBA policies.
In their statement, the team said English violated “multiple NLBA policies and his own admissions during this incident.”
“The nature of this incident is inappropriate at all levels, but especially egregious when it occurs with youth in sports,” the NLBA’s written decision read.
“Coach English responded to the inappropriate actions of a young man with verbal and emotional abuse. He has decades of professional sports experience in various roles and should have stopped this from happening.”
The league went on to say that English was sorry for the incident but “did not show a real understanding of the seriousness of the overall situation”, noting that what he said was “not a big deal” and that he felt uncomfortable throughout the game. “It’s all part of the game.”
first offense
Calling it English’s first offense as a coach, the committee ordered him to complete training within 30 days in four areas: safe play, leadership and ethics.
The league also suspended English from all NLBA-affiliated practices and games for 60 days. The decision also outlined the English process for appealing the decision if you so wish.
When contacted by CBC News, English declined to comment on the matter, saying he was currently speaking with attorneys.
The NLBA also declined to comment on the matter, but told CBC News it would release a statement on Thursday.
English played four years in NCAA Division I basketball prior to that across Europe and as part of the now-defunct St. John’s Edge in St. John’s. He opened his own basketball academy in St. John’s in 2020.
