The women’s basketball team at Columbia Bible College (CBC) in British Columbia, Canada, has penned a detailed response to Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) decision to forfeit two scheduled games against them. This decision stems from an alleged incident in October involving a transgender VIU player and the CBC coaching staff. VIU claims that the CBC coach violated the Coach’s Code of Ethics in their treatment of the transgender athlete, leading to their refusal to compete.
The CBC players’ letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, directly challenges VIU’s narrative, accusing the opposing team of launching a public campaign of misinformation, personal attacks, and defamatory comments against their coach. They argue that these actions, primarily disseminated through social media, violate the established rules and procedures of the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST), the governing body for collegiate athletics in the region. The CBC players contend that VIU’s public statements have incited violence and hatred towards their coach and have unjustly tarnished the reputation of their team. They insist that any concerns regarding their coach’s conduct should have been addressed privately through official PACWEST channels, rather than aired publicly.
The heart of the dispute revolves around allegations made by VIU’s transgender player, Harriette Mackenzie, a key player for the nationally ranked Mariners. Mackenzie, in a video posted on Instagram, alleges that CBC head coach Taylor Clagett confronted a VIU athletic staff member and expressed strong objections to Mackenzie’s participation in the game. Additionally, Mackenzie claims to have been deliberately and aggressively fouled by a CBC player, an action seemingly endorsed by Coach Clagett. Mackenzie highlights the biological differences between herself and cisgender female athletes, emphasizing her lack of male puberty and the absence of testosterone-producing organs, arguing that these factors place her at a competitive disadvantage.
The CBC players’ letter counters these claims, describing the situation as “complicated” and asserting that VIU’s portrayal is based on “misinformation and one side of the story.” They maintain that the entire incident has been misrepresented and taken out of context, resulting in an unfair portrayal of their coach and team. The letter emphasizes that up until this point, the CBC team has remained silent, choosing to address their concerns through official channels out of respect for PACWEST and VIU. They express their disappointment that VIU has not reciprocated this respect and has instead chosen to communicate primarily through social media.
Furthermore, the CBC players accuse PACWEST of inconsistent application of its rules and procedures. They point out that VIU’s forfeiture of the games should result in an automatic loss, according to standard protocol. However, PACWEST has chosen to postpone the games, contradicting established procedures without providing a clear rationale for their decision. The letter also highlights VIU’s alleged failure to follow the proper notification procedures for canceling games, further underscoring their perceived disregard for established rules.
This situation unfolds against the backdrop of evolving legal and social landscapes surrounding transgender participation in sports. In Canada, legislation prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and expression, explicitly protecting the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. This contrasts sharply with the political climate in the United States, where debates regarding transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports are ongoing and highly contentious. The CBC players feel their silence has been misinterpreted as passivity and that VIU’s actions have been rewarded by PACWEST’s handling of the situation. This has prompted them to issue their letter and demand their voices be heard. They assert their respect for the process and desire a fair resolution to the situation. The incident has sparked broader discussions about fairness, inclusion, and the complexities of navigating transgender participation in competitive sports.
