COACHING IS ABUSE
'This is exactly what we’ve been trying to tell the world': Canadian women's rugby team opens up
Wes Gilbertson
POSTMEDIA
JULY 30,2021
TOKYO — They were feeling a lot of things. Disheartened. Frustrated. Hurt.
TOKYO — They were feeling a lot of things. Disheartened. Frustrated. Hurt.
© Provided by National Post Ghislaine Landry of Team Canada leads her team as they take the field before the Women's pool B match between Team Canada and Team Fiji during the Rugby Sevens on day six of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Stadium on July 29, 2021 in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan.
They weren’t surprised, though.
Ghislaine Landry, the captain of Canada’s women’s rugby sevens squad, stressed that Friday’s series of insulting and insensitive tweets by a since-fired national-program coach are proof of exactly what they were trying to shine a light on during the lead-up to these Tokyo Olympics.
“We didn’t expect there to be more examples when we were here, but it’s insight into what the players have been dealing with privately, that we couldn’t speak about before,” Landry said.
Added teammate Britt Benn: “This is exactly what we’ve been trying to tell the world.”
Canada’s rugby sevens athletes wrapped their stay at Tokyo 2020 with a 24-10 victory over Kenya in the ninth-place game, a disappointing result for a group that believed it could contend for gold.
Shortly after they were eliminated from medal contention Friday, missing out on the quarterfinals by the slimmest of margins, they were slammed on Twitter by Jamie Cudmore, a former player turned coach of Rugby Canada’s national development academy.
As part of a series of since-deleted posts, Cudmore wrote: “I think someone should decolonize 9th place tomorrow,” a clear reference to statements the rugby sevens had made during a pre-competition press conference in Tokyo about the importance of representation and equality. During that media session, they wore matching ‘BIPOC Lives Matter’ shirts and orange masks that read ‘Every Child Matters.’ (BIPOC is an acronym for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour.)
Cudmore, who was also serving as an assistant coach for the men’s XVs, was swiftly dismissed, with Rugby Canada saying “the decision comes as a result of a review of recent social media postings which were unacceptable and in breach of organization policy.”
Canadian rugby coach fired following tweets criticizing Olympic women’s team
This incident comes only months after the team came forward to file a series of complaints about their now-former coach, John Tait. While an independent investigation ruled the alleged conduct didn’t fall into Rugby Canada’s definition of bullying and harassment, Tait opted to resign.
As about her reaction to Cudmore’s tweets, Pamphinette Buisa replied: “It was relieving, to be honest. Because I think that’s a prime opportunity for people to believe us. When we decided to make the complaint nine months ago, people were asking us, ‘Why? What happened, your results?’ And there was no real regard for our mind, our spirit and if we’re OK.
“I think that was an insight, a slim insight, of what’s been going on for years. And I’m glad that we didn’t have to respond. The world responded for us. We led with love. We showed up. That was our clap-back, just to show up (Saturday) and play.”
Former team captain Jen Kish weighed in Saturday, saying on Twitter that there are current members of the Olympic team “who have contributed to the very same environment that they have gone public with regards to John Tait” and adding “there are players in the program who have used their position to push their agenda by intimidating and bulling (sic) other players to a very frightning (sic) extreme point.”
Those comments by Kish came after Saturday’s mixed-zone availability in Tokyo.
‘We are more than athletes’: Canada’s Olympic rugby women open up about representation, Indigenous issues
“Nine months ago, when we decided to do this, we knew it was a risk,” Landry said after the win over Kenya in the ninth-place game. “We knew what it might do to our Olympic plans. We had that discussion as a group and we decided to go ahead anyway. When we got here, we knew that was part of our story. We’ve been through a lot in the last little while and what’s happened off the field is very much part of our story.”
They weren’t surprised, though.
Ghislaine Landry, the captain of Canada’s women’s rugby sevens squad, stressed that Friday’s series of insulting and insensitive tweets by a since-fired national-program coach are proof of exactly what they were trying to shine a light on during the lead-up to these Tokyo Olympics.
“We didn’t expect there to be more examples when we were here, but it’s insight into what the players have been dealing with privately, that we couldn’t speak about before,” Landry said.
Added teammate Britt Benn: “This is exactly what we’ve been trying to tell the world.”
Canada’s rugby sevens athletes wrapped their stay at Tokyo 2020 with a 24-10 victory over Kenya in the ninth-place game, a disappointing result for a group that believed it could contend for gold.
Shortly after they were eliminated from medal contention Friday, missing out on the quarterfinals by the slimmest of margins, they were slammed on Twitter by Jamie Cudmore, a former player turned coach of Rugby Canada’s national development academy.
As part of a series of since-deleted posts, Cudmore wrote: “I think someone should decolonize 9th place tomorrow,” a clear reference to statements the rugby sevens had made during a pre-competition press conference in Tokyo about the importance of representation and equality. During that media session, they wore matching ‘BIPOC Lives Matter’ shirts and orange masks that read ‘Every Child Matters.’ (BIPOC is an acronym for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour.)
Cudmore, who was also serving as an assistant coach for the men’s XVs, was swiftly dismissed, with Rugby Canada saying “the decision comes as a result of a review of recent social media postings which were unacceptable and in breach of organization policy.”
Canadian rugby coach fired following tweets criticizing Olympic women’s team
This incident comes only months after the team came forward to file a series of complaints about their now-former coach, John Tait. While an independent investigation ruled the alleged conduct didn’t fall into Rugby Canada’s definition of bullying and harassment, Tait opted to resign.
As about her reaction to Cudmore’s tweets, Pamphinette Buisa replied: “It was relieving, to be honest. Because I think that’s a prime opportunity for people to believe us. When we decided to make the complaint nine months ago, people were asking us, ‘Why? What happened, your results?’ And there was no real regard for our mind, our spirit and if we’re OK.
“I think that was an insight, a slim insight, of what’s been going on for years. And I’m glad that we didn’t have to respond. The world responded for us. We led with love. We showed up. That was our clap-back, just to show up (Saturday) and play.”
Former team captain Jen Kish weighed in Saturday, saying on Twitter that there are current members of the Olympic team “who have contributed to the very same environment that they have gone public with regards to John Tait” and adding “there are players in the program who have used their position to push their agenda by intimidating and bulling (sic) other players to a very frightning (sic) extreme point.”
Those comments by Kish came after Saturday’s mixed-zone availability in Tokyo.
‘We are more than athletes’: Canada’s Olympic rugby women open up about representation, Indigenous issues
“Nine months ago, when we decided to do this, we knew it was a risk,” Landry said after the win over Kenya in the ninth-place game. “We knew what it might do to our Olympic plans. We had that discussion as a group and we decided to go ahead anyway. When we got here, we knew that was part of our story. We’ve been through a lot in the last little while and what’s happened off the field is very much part of our story.”
Canada players before they faced Kenya, July 31, 2021.
REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
There were questions at that pre-Games presser about whether their focus was in the right place, and they know those will follow after their poor performance on the pitch.
The Canadians finished pool play with a 1-2 record, then hoped for some help from a rival to keep their wildcard hopes alive. If New Zealand could beat Russia by 34 points, they’d sneak into the quarters. The final score in that matchup? 33-0.
“It’s definitely been an emotional rollercoaster,” Benn said Saturday after her last appearance with the national side. “Obviously, we’re heartbroken that we’re not advancing to quarterfinals by a point and representing our country at a podium finish, but there are so many things that this team has to be proud of in the past nine months. You guys can read between the lines on that one. This was my last game as a sevens players and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of such a resilient, respectful and inspiring group.Yea
“I think (Canadians) know our story and they see an inspiring group of women and they know that their daughters will be protected. In the future in this program, they’ll thrive in a healthy environment. And in three years time, when it’s their chance to step on the Olympic field, they’ll be ready.”
Landry hopes that will be the legacy of this squad, even if they’re returning home without the shiny souvenir they were after.
“Through our stories being shared, we’re getting messages of so many similar stories and that’s what breaks my heart and it’s a big reason why we’re still speaking to it is because there are a lot of people that haven’t been able to speak up,” she said. “There are people that have left the game because of it, not just rugby but all over the place in sport. It’s way too commonplace. If we can be a tiny little part of that change or help one athlete in the future, we’re proud to do it.”
There were questions at that pre-Games presser about whether their focus was in the right place, and they know those will follow after their poor performance on the pitch.
The Canadians finished pool play with a 1-2 record, then hoped for some help from a rival to keep their wildcard hopes alive. If New Zealand could beat Russia by 34 points, they’d sneak into the quarters. The final score in that matchup? 33-0.
“It’s definitely been an emotional rollercoaster,” Benn said Saturday after her last appearance with the national side. “Obviously, we’re heartbroken that we’re not advancing to quarterfinals by a point and representing our country at a podium finish, but there are so many things that this team has to be proud of in the past nine months. You guys can read between the lines on that one. This was my last game as a sevens players and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of such a resilient, respectful and inspiring group.Yea
“I think (Canadians) know our story and they see an inspiring group of women and they know that their daughters will be protected. In the future in this program, they’ll thrive in a healthy environment. And in three years time, when it’s their chance to step on the Olympic field, they’ll be ready.”
Landry hopes that will be the legacy of this squad, even if they’re returning home without the shiny souvenir they were after.
“Through our stories being shared, we’re getting messages of so many similar stories and that’s what breaks my heart and it’s a big reason why we’re still speaking to it is because there are a lot of people that haven’t been able to speak up,” she said. “There are people that have left the game because of it, not just rugby but all over the place in sport. It’s way too commonplace. If we can be a tiny little part of that change or help one athlete in the future, we’re proud to do it.”
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