Sports

Brad Hammett joining proposed class-action lawsuit against the CHL – TSN

Published

4 years ago

June 26, 2020

Warning: This story contains details that may be disturbing to some readers.

Former Western Hockey League player Brad Hammett is going public and joining a proposed class-action lawsuit against the Canadian Hockey League, alleging he was sexually and physically abused by four teammates over the course of two seasons, starting in 1981-82.

TSN first reported Hammett’s story on Thursday and agreed to grant him anonymity. He subsequently decided he wanted to publish his story under his name, hoping that doing so might provide support to other players nervous about coming forward with similar stories.

WHL commissioner Ron Robison confirmed to TSN in an email that the league has spoken with Hammett and will investigate his claims.

A defenceman from Edmonton, the 56-year-old Hammett began playing in the WHL during the 1981-82 season with the Billings (Mont.) Bighorns. He says the abuse continued the following season after the franchise moved to Nanaimo, B.C., and became the Islanders.

Hammett said he told his wife, Kim, and his two children about the alleged abuse on Saturday, days after former CHL players Daniel Carcillo and Garrett Taylor filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in Ontario Superior Court, alleging the CHL and its three major-junior leagues have been complicit in hazing, bullying and child abuse.

“I’ve lived with this a long time, and my family has often wondered why I have had moods,” Hammett said in an interview with TSN on Thursday. “Talking about this, I feel there’s a weight off my shoulders. I know that it’s going to get better. I’m not hiding something.”

On Thursday, former OHL player Dan Fritsche told The Athletic that he was also abused while playing for the Sarnia Sting and that he is joining the lawsuit against the CHL. James Sayce, a lawyer representing Carcillo and Taylor, said he has been “inundated” with inquiries from former players since filing the case but said he can’t share details of any players who have joined the lawsuit until their affidavits are filed in court.

The CHL announced Friday that it is appointing an independent review panel to review its policies and practices related to hazing, abuse, harassment and bullying. The review comes amid allegations that some players are not comfortable reporting such incidents, the league said.

Hammett said that he never told WHL team management about the abuse he suffered because he was certain officials didn’t want to listen.

“I watched a teammate [defecate] in a purse belonging to a female team trainer and nothing happened to him,” Hammett said. “The nurse came into our dressing room, crying, and went right to the player, and he was back the following day, laughing about it. There were no consequences for actions. Nobody in team management wanted to hear about these things. They’d say, ‘You’re the weak one,’ ‘Boys will be boys,’ and ‘We keep things like this in house.’”

TSN is not naming Hammett’s alleged abusers because they have not yet been named in court documents.

Hammett said in his complaint to the WHL that he was attacked by a pair of Billings teammates during a road trip early in his rookie 1981-82 season. He said, after being pinned to a mattress, one of the players removed his penis from his pants and slapped it on the side of Hammett’s face.

Hammett said the abuse prompted him to quit the team.

“I grabbed my hockey bag off the bus, put it in the trunk of my parents’ car and said, ‘I’m going home,’” Hammett said. After eight games with Billings, Hammett played the remainder of the season with the St. Albert Saints junior team.

After the Bighorns were sold and moved to Nanaimo, Hammett rejoined the team in 1982-83 and he said the abuse resumed.

On another occasion, the same two Nanaimo teammates allegedly forced two rookies to strip naked in a dorm room and made them play a game of tug-of-war with a string tied to their penises. Hammett said he witnessed the abuse when he walked into the dressing room and demanded it stop.

Hammett said that days later, four Nanaimo teammates attacked him as he left the dressing room shower after practice.

Hammett played the following season with the New Westminster Bruins. He went on to play in the International Hockey League with the Kalamazoo Wings.

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Sports

Sports betting roundup: NFL and college football were all about the favourites

Published

17 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

The past weekend of football was all about the favourites.

The favoured teams went 13-1 straight up and 10-4 against the spread in the NFL. In college football, the three most teams bet at the BetMGM Sportsbook in terms of number of bets and money all won and covered. All three were favourites.

Trends of the Week

The three most bet college teams that won and covered on Saturday were Ohio State (-3.5) vs. Penn State, Indiana (-7.5) at Michigan State and Oregon (-14.5) at Michigan. Penn State has now lost seven straight home games as underdogs. The Nittany Lions were up 10-0 in the first quarter and were 3.5-point favourites at the time. The Buckeyes won 17-10.

In the NFL, the three most bet teams in terms of number of bets and money were the Washington Commanders (-4) at the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions (-2.5) at the Green Bay Packers and the Buffalo Bills (-6) vs. the Miami Dolphins. All three teams won, but only two of the three covered the spread as Buffalo beat Miami 30-27.

When it came to the players with the most bets to score a touchdown on Sunday, only two of the five reached the end zone — Chase Brown (-125) and Taysom Hill (+185). David Montgomery (-140), Brian Robinson Jr. (+110) and AJ Barner (+500) did not score.

Upsets of the Week

The biggest upset in the NFL was the Carolina Panthers coming from behind to beat the New Orleans Saints 23-22. New Orleans closed as a 7-point favourite and took in 76% of the bets and 79% of the money in against-the-spread betting. The Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen following the loss. They have now lost seven straight games after starting the year 2-0.

Arguably the biggest upset in college football was South Carolina beating No. 10 Texas A&M 44-20 at home. Texas A&M closed as a 2.5-point favourite and took in 59% of the bets and 58% of the money.

Coming up

Right after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees to win the World Series, odds for the 2025 World Series were released.

The Dodgers have the best odds at +400, while the Atlanta Braves and Yankees are next at +800.

The Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies round out the top five, both at +1100.

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This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook.

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AP sports:

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Longtime rivals Ovechkin, Crosby join Necas as NHL’s three stars of the week

Published

17 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

NEW YORK – Washington Capitals left-wing Alex Ovechkin, Carolina Hurricanes centre Martin Necas and Pittsburgh Penguins centre Sidney Crosby have been named the NHL’s three stars of the week.

Ovechkin had a league-leading five goals and nine points in four games.

The 39-year-old Capitals captain has 14 points in 11 games this season, and his 860 career goals are just 34 shy of Wayne Gretzky’s record.

Necas shared the league lead with nine points (three goals, six assists) in three games.

Crosby factored on seven of the Penguins’ eight total goals scoring four goals and adding three assists in three appearances. The 37-year-old Penguins captain leads his team with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 13 games this season.

Crosby and Ovechkin, longtime rivals since entering the league together in 2005-06, will meet for the 70th time in the regular season and 95th time overall when Pittsburgh visits Washington on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.

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Oliveira, Mitchell named as finalists for CFL outstanding player award

Published

5 days ago

October 31, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Running back Brady Oliveira of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell are the finalists for the CFL’s outstanding player award.

Oliveira led the CFL in rushing this season with 1,353 yards while Mitchell was the league leader in passing yards (5,451) and touchdowns (32).

Oliveira is also the West Division finalist for the CFL’s top Canadian award, the second straight year he’s been nominated for both.

Oliveira was the CFL’s outstanding Canadian in 2023 and the runner-up to Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for outstanding player.

Defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund of the Montreal Alouettes is the East Division’s top Canadian nominee.

Voting for the awards is conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada and the nine CFL head coaches.

The other award finalists include: defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal linebacker Tyrice Beverette (outstanding defensive player); Saskatchewan’s Logan Ferland and Toronto’s Ryan Hunter (outstanding lineman); B.C. Lions kicker Sean Whyte and Toronto returner Janarion Grant (special teams); and Edmonton Elks linebacker Nick Anderson and Hamilton receiver Shemar Bridges (outstanding rookie).

The coach of the year finalists are Saskatchewan’s Corey Mace and Montreal’s Jason Maas.

The CFL will honour its top individual performers Nov. 14 in Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31.

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