British Columbia basketball team to skip games over alleged mistreatment of transgender player

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12:20 PM on Wednesday, January 8

The Associated Press

NANAIMO, British Columbia (AP) — A group of college basketball players in Canada say they won't play a pair of games against another team in their division this weekend because of alleged verbal and physical mistreatment of a transgender teammate that they say hasn't been addressed. All 13 players on the Vancouver Island University team signed a letter saying they don't feel safe playing at Columbia Bible College. VIU forward Harriette Mackenzie spoke out in October about verbal and physical mistreatment she says she experienced when her team hosted CBC for a pair of games in Nanaimo. Mackenzie filed a complaint with the Pacific Western Athletic Association, but the team's letter says the governing body hasn't issued any punishments. The conference declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation.