The president of the Windsor Minor Hockey Association (WMHA) has been suspended for the rest of the hockey season, after posting "inappropriate" comments about women on Facebook.
After consultation between, the WMHA and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA), the decision was made Tuesday to suspend Dean Lapierre until the end of the 2016/2017 season.
Lapierre has previously apologized for a post on his personal Facebook that called women, who were attending a march in Washington DC, "dumb bitches."
"Dean Lapierre understands that he has made a mistake and is remorseful," says Rick Paré, acting president of the WMHA, in a written statement. "Dean and the WMHA understand that as WMHA president, there is no separating the private individual from the public persona on social media and that he must be held accountable."
Along with the suspension, Lapierre has been ordered to complete "Respect in Sport – Activity Leader" program, successfully complete a training program focusing on social media ethics, and complete the WMHA Onside workshop that is offered by the Sexual Assault Crisis Centre of Windsor.
He has also been asked to draft a written apology.
In the statement issued by Paré, Lapierre is cited as "a tireless, dedicated volunteer of 30 years who has made many positive contributions to hockey and to the community." It goes on to say that the WMHA Board of Directors will be taking "the necessary steps to institute a cultural change for the betterment of the WMHA and its volunteers."
In light of the incident, the WMHA is planning to update its code of conduct and institute new social media policies.
