Zero Tolerance

If the two players to the left appear to be posing for mugshots as opposed to team photos, you might actually be correct. The men pictured are Nicolas Daigle and Massimo Siciliano who were playing for the QMJHL's Victoriaville Tigres before they were charged with crimes on Monday. I am starting to really suspect that there's a problem with the way we put hockey players on pedestals because it seems they lose their minds when they receive any attention outside of the highlight reel. For both Daigle and Siciliano, theire crimes are particularly disgusting, and I'll warn everyone up fron that there may be passages in this article that make you cringe.

On Monday, both Daigle and Siciliano were formally charged with sexual assault stemming from an alleged incident on June 6, 2021 in Lac-Beauport following the Tigres' victory in winning the QMJHL Championship. The pair appeared in court on Tuesday to face the music as they were officially charged with sexual assault on a minor and with having filmed the alleged victim during the assault at a team party at the Entourage-sur-le-Lac hotel after their win. On top of those charges, Daigle is also facing two charges for sharing images of the alleged victim.

On Wednesday, the QMJHL suspended the pair indefinitely after it was discovered by the league that "the alleged actions occurred in the margins of an activity organized by the league".

Excuse the sarcasm, but it's about bloody time, Commissioner Gilles Courteau.

There was outrage from victims' support groups prior to the preseason starting due to both Daigle and Siciliano participating in preseason game. There was more outrage when the season started and these two hadn't yet been suspended. Two games into the preseason, the suspension was finally handed down, but that only came after the two players were formally charged with serious crimes. Having seen the blowback that the Montreal Canadiens went through with their drafting of a player who has been charged and convicted of similar crimes, this should have been a no-brainer to suspend these two players while the investigation was happening.

According to the QMJHL's statement today,

"The Commissioner's office needed time to acquaint itself with the charges and finalize some elements ahead of an announcement since the presumption of innocence remains at the forefront of our justice system. Furthermore, in accordance with the league's rules and policies, it was important to come to an informed decision to safeguard both the public’s trust and our stakeholders' confidence in the organization."

Lwt's make something clear here in that the presumption of innocence is only valid in a court of law. With preseason games being virtually meaningless, suspending both Daigle and Siciliano wouldn't have changed anything in the long run for the QMJHL. They miss a few games at the very most if the suspension could be lifted. Life goes on.

Instead, we get formal charges for crimes of a sexual nature committed on a minor. We get the crimes being filmed by the two men being charged. And we get one of the two men sharing those images with others. I'm not certain that's the hat trick these men want on their personal records, but it would appear they're going to have to defend themselves against these charges in the near future. If they are found guilty of the crimes with which they've been charged, the suspension should move from "indefinite" to "permanent".

There is no way that these two men should be able to pursue professional hockey opportunities with those crimes on their records if they're found guilty. This is where the QMJHL can act in the best interest of its fans, partners, and sponsors by removing the privileges of playing this game from these two men.

I should point out that the QMJHL made it very clear in their statement that both Daigle and Siciliano "are not employees" in the QMJHL's current setup when they explicitly wrote, "QMJHL players have the status of amateur student-athletes, they are not employees". Some will argue that no employer on the planet would allow these two men to continue working if they're fund guilty, but this is the escape clause that the QMJHL has with regards to how players are viewed under its umbrella as the players are not employees under the QMJHL's watch.

Whatever happens in the coming weeks and months as this legal conundrum plays out, let's not forget that there was a victim who was a minor that was assaulted, and HBIC stands with the victim in hoping that the book is thrown at Daigle and Siciliano if they are found guilty. No one should be subject to assault of any kind at a party when everyone is supposed to be celebrating, and I hope the young victim can find peace regardless of the verdict.

For Daigle and Siciliano, these are very serious charges that carry with them a stigma that will never wash off if you're found guilty. If I were running the league and the verdict came back guilty, your hockey careers would be over with extreme prejudice. This is something that I, as a hockey fan and functioning member of society, have zero tolerence for, and I'd make sure you skated in your last games anywhere.

Playing hockey is a privilege at any level, and that privilege comes with ensuring you're not committing serious and heinous crimes.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!