Laurentian University has launched an investigation into allegations of hazing on the varsity men’s soccer team. 

While the university is not discussing specifics about the investigation, Laurentian’s Chief of Staff, Alex Freedman, told Lambda that “the university takes any such allegations very seriously.” 

“The university has received a complaint and we’re investigating” Freedman said.  

Freedman also said the university will let the results of the investigation dictate any future steps.  

“We take student safety very seriously,” Freedman said. 

Hazing in 2016

 This is not the first time Laurentian’s varsity athletics has had to deal with hazing allegations.  

 Five veteran players on the Laurentian Voyageurs varsity men’s basketball team were suspended in 2016 by Laurentian’s athletic director, Peter Helmstrom, over allegations of hazing at a rookie night ceremony. 

Freedman said that all athletes receive training and should understand the expectations the university has for them. 

“Students should feel very safe at Laurentian,” Freedman said. “We have a very high standard and we maintain that standard. It is critical that student safety be paramount.”  

Laurentian University of Sudbury Varsity Team Member Guidelines “requires that all students who participate on a Laurentian University sponsored varsity team which competes in USports and/or Ontario University Athletics (“OUA”) competition conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the expectations of all students at Laurentian University.” 

According to these guidelines, which all student athletes are required to read through and sign, “the Department of Athletics does not tolerate hazing in any form – on or off campus and Varsity Team Members cannot participate in any Hazing activities.” 

“ ‘Hazing’ means any act, regardless of an individual’s willingness to participate, which humiliates, degrades or endangers the mental or physical health or safety of that individual, or could reasonably be seen to humiliate, degrade or endanger the mental or physical health or safety of that individual, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in, a group or organization.” 

“In addition, this includes any requirements by a member that compel another member to participate in any activity, which violates any Laurentian University policy, the Code, or law.” 

The guidelines continue to outline an extensive list of “actions and activities that are prohibited but are not limited to” in terms of what defines hazing according to Laurentian’s athletic department.  

Former player comes forward

While Laurentian has confirmed that they are currently investigating a hazing complaint against the team, a former player on the men’s soccer team reached out to Lambda to disclose his alleged experience with hazing.  

He has asked Lambda not to reveal his name, as he is still friends with some former and current players on the soccer team. 

In an email to Lambda in August, the former rookie recruit said second, third and fourth-year students set up the initiation on the last night of soccer tryouts, known by the team as “Veteran’s Appreciation Night.”  

 “All new players are forced to attend” he said.  

“At the event they tie the rookies of the team up to a chair and blindfolded [them]. They then chant words of profanity and force [them] to drink alcohol.” 

“I had to pretend that I was drunk so that they would stop pouring the alcohol down my throat. They then slit our legs with a knife and put our blood in a paper towel. And put them all together as part of the ‘oneness’ that they just so happen to believe promotes togetherness with the team.” 

“Some of the players were also inappropriately touching our private parts while our faces were covered and our hands were tied. We were defenceless”. 

According to the former player, the experience was so traumatizing that he no longer attends Laurentian University due to the “emotional and mental toll it took.” 

Laurentian did not confirm that this alleged hazing was the incident they were investigating, or if the same player contacted them.