[Other Sport] Ice hockey player dies after accidental neck cut

[Milano]

My nephew is a professional ice hockey player. He doesn’t think it’s intentional and told me nor does any other player he knows. I asked why and he said the offending player gets clipped with a stick which puts him off balance and he takes a skate off the floor, a split second later he’s nudged in the side/back. Basically he was trying to regain balance when he was pushed again but in a slightly different direction, resulting in the leg equivalent of windmilling you arms. I have no idea if that is accurate but I’ll tend to believe him over a load of ‘never even been on an ice rink’ experts…..
The guy is apparently suicidal.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

It does create a precedent in sport, especially for contact sports such as rugby.

I don’t think it would apply where it’s an action within the laws of the sport such as boxing or a bouncer in cricket. But a reckless challenge could be subject to a manslaughter charge

I’d say rugby is one sport where proving intent, or even culpability through recklessness, would be very difficult. A sport where smashing into each other with full force is within the rules, is pretty hard, to try to apply the laws of the land to.

 

[Weststander]

Just watched the incident for the very first time. Until now I’d wrongly thought it was just a skate on the ice that caught a fallen player. End of story.

Crikey, it’s far from that. Little wonder the police are interested.

 

[Eric the meek]

Just watched the incident for the very first time. Until now I’d wrongly thought it was just a skate on the ice that caught a fallen player. End of story.

Crikey, it’s far from that. Little wonder the police are interested.

Without seeing the incident (and I'm not going to do so), I thought much the same as you. Then, with the police investigation, I - imagined - that there may have been some 'intent' on the part of the opposing skater.

It's extraordinary how the brain can fill in the gaps. It's so, so dangerous. But more importantly perhaps, it's a lesson for us all.

 

[Berty23]

Tricky one this - could set a precedent for sporting misdemeanours. I haven't seen the footage of this incident (and I don't want to) so I don't know whether it comes under the definition of accidental sporting injuries (like, say, Phil Hughes) or not. Should Pickford have been done for ABH against VVD a couple of years back? - you could certainly make a case, I think - but does sport want or need the criminal justice system to go down this road?

I agree the precedent is interesting. Didn’t Keane admit he did haaland in his book? I always thought being so blatant could lead to trouble. I wonder if this could lead to other challenges.

This whole story is just horrific.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I agree the precedent is interesting. Didn’t Keane admit he did haaland in his book? I always thought being so blatant could lead to trouble. I wonder if this could lead to other challenges.

This whole story is just horrific.

"Have that, you ****" was how Keane explained it in his autobiography. It was an assault and he should have been charged, having published his admission of intent. Three months inside, five minute court case. Bosh. But nothing happened.

 

[albionalex]

Last season, a player had a really nasty incident where his wrist got cut; https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/evander-kane-taken-to-hospital-wrist-cut-skate-blade-1.6645414

So accidents certainly happen. However, in this instance he was on the floor rather than stood upright...

 

[Doonhamer7]

I saw the video the day it happened and was surprised there wasn’t a charge that day, shows CPS have taken there time before bringing the charge

 

[Brian Fantana]

I saw the video the day it happened and was surprised there wasn’t a charge that day, shows CPS have taken there time before bringing the charge

I don’t think the player has been charged? He’s just been arrested.

 

[indy3050]

You could argue the opposition player was knocked off his stride and it was very unfortunate, however…

 

[METALMICKY]

The disciplinary record of the player concerned will not be helpful to his defence. A lot of pro hockey players are also publicly voicing concerns about his leg position and how it gets there.