A day after the OHL announced the Niagara IceDogs GM and head coach were being suspended indefinitely, Billy and Joey Burke have released a statement.
The two say they are devastated by the sanctions, and they are sorry for their actions.
The Burkes say they were venting in a private hockey staff WhatsApp group chat about the perceived lack of coverage from the league after a win.
"Unfortunately, we did use profane language, but it was not racial in any sense, nor was it abusive or directed at any IceDogs staff member (male or female) or any players."
The two say that they were embarrassed by the text, and they deleted the message right away and apologized directly to female staff for a vulgar slang word that was used.
"We also apologized to everyone involved in the chat for the language and tone, long before we knew the chat was leaked. It should also be noted that in the 14 years that we have worked for the team, we have never had a complaint brought against us for any inappropriate language or behaviour towards any staff or player."
They say while they are heartbroken, they understand their positions within the team and the community and they should be held to a higher moral standard.
"We take great pride in the diverse makeup of our team and our alumni, and we have always strived to create a safe and respectful environment both inside the dressing room and the office as well. We are very proud of the team that we’ve put together and have all faith that this team will be competing for the Memorial Cup in 2 years and we wish our players, staff and all IceDogs fans nothing but success."
Joey and Billy Burke, along with the team, were fined a combined $150,000 after an investigation into the conversation on WhatsApp.
The league says the conduct, displayed on the transcripts of the March 6, 2022 conversation, is prejudicial to the welfare of the OHL as it violates the Leagues’ Harassment & Abuse / Diversity Policy and also runs counter to the OHL’s Onside program which emphasizes the importance of demonstrating respect for women through actions and words.
The two will be able to apply for reinstatement no sooner than June 1, 2024.
At that point the Commissioner will assess whether they have successfully completed counselling and education to ensure that there will be no additional violations of League rules, policies, or expected conduct.