In a statement released late this week by the AIHL, it has been revealed that after certain incidents at the 2011 AIHL Finals series, as Andrew Hewitt reports, the league has handed out very serious penalties to the Sydney Ice Dogs as a club and one of their players individually.
The rumour mill has long been circling this issue ever since last year’s AIHL Finals. Needing to act quickly, as to quash any further spread of these rumours, the league launched an investigation that required the assistance of players, officials and supporters.
Finding the Sydney club guilty of being in breach of the AIHL Code of Conduct, the AIHL has dealt the 2011 finalists a fine of an undisclosed amount.
On top of the fine, the Ice Dogs received another penalty that in some eyes, is far more crucial than that of any monetary punishment. The AIHL has restricted the Ice Dogs to three imports for the 2012 season which in a city that hosts two AIHL teams, makes finding the right local talent all that more important.
Although not naming the penalised player, the AIHL did mention that the player in question has received a life ban in the AIHL, making it clear that the behaviour he was penalised for is not to be accepted on any level.
All is not bad for the Sydney Ice Dogs, as almost immediately after the finals, the club put themselves through a reshuffle both in their on ice team and their front office. This was reported by HSN’s Sydney based writer Andrew McMurtry in his 3-part series entitled “Rebuilding the kennel” which can be read by clicking the following links : Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. In regards to their work to make the appropriate changes prior to, throughout and after the investigation, the AIHL have congratulated the Ice Dogs.
Despite the negative start, the outcome of the situation looks to have been a positive one with the Sydney Ice Dogs now back on track and although financially wounded and down in import ranks, the future looks bright for the proud club.
To view the original statement made by the AIHL, click here.
by Andrew Hewitt
Follow @awhewy Follow @hewittsports
Not naming the player can only keep rumour mill alive. Anyone whose not on the Dogs this year from last can be tainted by anothers brush
That’s not all they are not mentioning. There is so much to be said about this issue and how the AIHL have (or not) handled this matter…Making this public can and may and possible will have huge ramification for the Club with it’s current and potential sponsors.I think its wrong. Also which governing sporting body reduces the competitiveness of a team? How then is this a fair sporting contest? Golf and Horse Racing have handicaps to make it fair, other sports have draft and salary caps to even out the competition…but the AIHL reduces the competitiveness…Good one.
Old news. HSN have been sitting on this since november last year. Poor form. The guy came back tanked after the semis loss and started fights with spectators and Icehouse staff ending with him hitting one. Would be nice if a supposed independant source would tell us the truth. By the way the fine is $20k.
Agree, they should be fined but why take a import away. How does that discipline the guy who is banned anyway. It was a off ice incident so how is the club suppose to stop that? Now the league is weaker beacause of it and who pays for it, the fans. Who comes up with bone head rules like this anyway?
John Anon,
While the incident took place in September 2011, Andrew has indicated that this was an article based off the announcement made by the AIHL recently on their own website. HSN have known about the rumours, however we have been waiting for an official public response from the league.
As we believe in the growth of the league, we will not be reporting untruths or innuendo.
We believe we are and will remain independent from any sporting governing body.
If you would like to read the AIHL official statement, head to :
http://www.theaihl.com/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=3856&leagueID=11464&page=60743
Wow. That’s a joke. How does making one team weaker make then game better value for us fans. I will not go to any games that the dogs play in this year. May give the whole hockey thing a miss this year and follow GWS giants or swans instead as at least it will be a fairer contest and better value. Disgusting and what a terrible call for the dogs and the sport.
This seems like a Witch hunt. Which sporting body goes against “the spirit of competition?”
When an AFL or NRL player has done something outside of an event, does the club get penalised? No its handled as a civil matter and both the governing and the club take measures to help these people get back on track. I also hear that they want right of veto on the Club’s board? WTF? Talk about wanting to control…Which board/team in their right mind allow that to happen?
Seems like the AIHL are a law unto themselves and want to be untouchable. You’re a joke. Shame this will reflect worst on you than the good work that you guys have done recently and undo all of that.
When an import gets suspended in a normal game you can bring your 5th import in to replace him if you have the 5th one. If you only sign 4 and he gets a long term suspension you can drop him of the list sign another one. If your better local players gets a long term suspension you cant replace him with some as good as he should already been playing. The point is if an import gets a 3 game suspension you should play an import less for 3 games not about making the game unfair its making players and teams responsable for there team and staff
Yesterdays result between the Dogs and Ice is a perfect example of how stupid this draw is l
A team travels across the country for about 3 hours and across two time zones They then play a very physical game of hockey Early the next morning at 6am they head to the airport for an 8am flight to Melbourne Because of a hitch with the airport flight systems (it happened in Syd Melb Brisb and Perth airports due to a 1 second addition to the 24 hour day) The flight left 45mins late. The services meeting all flights at the airports were also in a mess and they had to wait for busses at Melb Result One absolutely exhausted team.
Who do they play? Melbourne Ice at 3.30 pm Result 9.1 loss and a very poor spectacle for the spectators and the sport Why is it that the eastern conference has to do this?
Why cant the travel to Melbourne and play ice on Saturday and Mustangs on Sunday That would allow them to play two games in Perth Or play one game and come home on Sunday That way the Melbourn teams would not have the HUGE advantage of playing the three NSW based teams when they are physically and mentally tired