Parents are speaking out after a soccer facility in Halifax cancelled their children’s practices for a week with no refund after allegations of “aggressive behaviour” from players.
It’s an allegation the parents and volunteers of Ignite Soccer Club — an organization primarily made up of newcomer families — dispute.
“We were all very confused when we got this long email,” said Hadia Bedoui, a parent volunteer with Ignite Soccer.
She says the club, which has more than 500 youth players, had all its bookings cancelled at the BMO Soccer Centre facilities.
She adds Ignite was first told that the sweeping ban was because of “aggressive behaviour” from players, before the club was presented with video footage.
“It turns out that it was a group of four to five and six-year-olds, who typically arrive early because their mothers rely on public transit to get here, who are from a different background,” she said.
“And when they arrived early, the kids were on the sidelines of the turf playing before their time.”
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She says it’s unfair that the entire club was punished, especially since Ignite consists of many new Canadian and immigrant families whose kids rely on soccer as an extracurricular activity.
Among the programs offered by Ignite, two are geared specifically for young newcomers: one is for children aged seven to 18, and another is focused on newcomer girls and women.
“The message that it sends is, ‘They’re the diverse group so, you know, we’re just going to collectively punish them all’ even though there was no need for the punishment,” Bedoui said.
Parent Ibrahim Elayyat says his children, aged five and seven, broke out in tears when they were told they weren’t allowed to play.
“It’s important to make sure when you make a decision how this is a decision going to impact this whole community especially those communities all from diverse group, Black, African, Nova Scotia newcomers, people with different backgrounds, different cultures,” said Elayyat, who came to Canada from Egypt.
In a statement to Global News, Soccer Nova Scotia’s executive director, Lindsay MacAskill, says Ignite’s field time has since been reinstated and that the temporary pause in bookings was to “prioritize safety.”
She says the two groups have held a meeting and are “committed to continued collaboration.”
“At the core of this matter is the duty of care and responsibility we jointly owe to all children and youth who use our (Soccer Nova Scotia) facilities,” a statement signed by Soccer Nova Scotia and Ignite Soccer Club reads.
“Soccer Nova Scotia and Ignite Soccer Club continue to work together collaboratively on solutions that uphold safety, mutual respect, and accountability, while ensuring youth continue to have access to the game they love.”
The statement goes on to say that they will work on long-term solutions to uphold safety and mutual respect.
Bedoui says she believes this has been a teaching moment, and a chance to show their children how to be part of a caring community.
“It’s a collective thing, it’s not just about diversity and inclusion. It’s about teaching our children how to be community. The messaging that we’re teaching them is a message that’s going to build a stronger and healthier future and community for all of us, not just soccer players.”
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