December 10, 2004 | It’s an example of rink rage that has received nationwide publicity, and was even the butt of jokes on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno a few days ago. But the Greater Toronto Hockey League sees no humour in the case of the Woodbridge hockey mom who lifted her blouse above her chest, exposed her bra, and shook her breasts from side to side while taunting parents of opposing players during a game in Mississauga between 11-year-olds. The GTHL banned Sylvana Gatti for one year from all of its arenas.

The Nov. 29 incident at the Erin Mills Twin Arena happened while the woman was attending a match between her son’s team, the York Toros, and the Mississauga Terriers, two Double-A level minor pee-wee teams. Her son’s team won 4-0. The woman appeared before a GTHL committee meeting Wednesday night, where she apologized for her behaviour before the league could get a full explanation from her as to exactly what prompted her to do what she did. She can appeal the ban next year, but must first get professional counselling and convince the league that she has changed her behaviour.

The GTHL first learned of the incident after receiving several telephone and e-mail complaints, mostly from other mothers. One complainant, who called the incident "disturbing," wrote that she and her sons ran into the woman after the game and the woman said: "What the hell are you looking at? Have you never seen tits? Yeah, he’s probably seen them on the Internet." One witness said the atmosphere in the stands became rowdy, with parents on both sides exchanging barbs. In a statement, GTHL president John Gardner said the incident showed a "complete lack of respect for the young players involved and the spectators present." The statement also urges parents to use the incident and subsequent punishment as a reminder that minor hockey is played for the enjoyment and development of young players, not parents.(More...)