Kanien’kehá:ka (“Mohawk”) athletes from communities around Montreal were well-represented on the First Nations women’s soccer team, with multiple players from Kahnawake, Akwesasne, and Kanesatake. Other players on the team were from the Kwakwaka’wakw nation in British Columbia.

“We didn’t get to see [the players from British Columbia] until we got to Brazil. We went a week early so we could all train together…,” Rachel Leborgne, an 18-year-old soccer player from Kahnawake, told The Daily in an interview. Leborgne was scouted to play as the team’s goalkeeper.

Despite only being able to train with about half of the players and coaching staff this past year given the physical distance between members of the team, the team hit its stride almost immediately in Palmas. “Normally it’s hard to work with different teams if you all play differently, but we all really meshed well together and we played together as a team. It kind of just worked out where everyone got along and everyone’s positions played out well,” said Leborgne.

After starting the tournament with two blowout wins, Leborgne said that the team slowly began to encounter stiffer competition, particularly in the final. “Going into the final game was really intense. We weren’t sure what to expect.”

The team from Canada got a noteworthy turn out for their final match – a crowd of over 8,000 gathered to cheer on their Brazilian opponents. Speaking about her experience, Leborgne said, “There were thousands and thousands of people there, and they were all booing us… As soon as we won, the whole stadium was quiet.” The teams played to a nil-nil draw in regulation, so the game proceeded to a shootout. Leborgne explained that she voluntarily turned over the goalkeeping duties to a teammate with more experience in stopping shots from the dot. This demonstration of trust for her teammate of only a week ended well: the new goalkeeper stopped the first penalty kick, which opened the gap Leborgne’s team needed to secure victory.

“Normally it’s hard to work with different teams if you all play differently, but we all really meshed well together and we played together as a team. It kind of just worked out where everyone got along and everyone’s positions played out well.”
– Rachel Leborgne

Leborgne credits much of the team’s success to the support from the players’ families, coaches, and communities. “I’d like to give a big shout out to them for doing their part and helping us get to where we got. […] We wouldn’t have the gold without them.”

The World Indigenous Games were also an opportunity for players to interact with communities from different regions of Canada, as well as with teams from across the world. “We had a chance to interact with a lot of people, especially at [the] opening ceremonies. We met so many different tribes there, so it was amazing to learn their different traditions,” said Leborgne.

One of the event’s aims was to function as a step forward in recognizing Indigenous peoples around the world in sports. Leborgne commented, “Indigenous people are usually pushed aside. This is something that is just for Indigenous people. I think it’s really good that we’re getting out there, showing that we are here and that we’re not to be forgotten.”

Still, Leborgne remains hopeful that more can be done. “There are a lot of programs within the different communities out there, but I feel like our talents aren’t recognized as much as if we weren’t Indigenous. There’s still progress to be made, but we’re doing really well, especially with the [World] Indigenous Games.”

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Kane’s uncurbed public persona hasn’t always been playful and lovable. In 2009, he was accused of assaulting a cab driver who couldn’t offer sufficient change for his fare. Kane wasn’t charged with assault; pleading guilty to disorderly conduct, he only had to apologize to the driver. The recent accusations against Kane have become increasingly concerning.

No charges have been pressed in what is an ongoing, whirlwind investigation, and yet the hockey community’s response to the allegations against Kane can largely be described as dismissive.

In August, Kane was accused of rape. While few facts are available surrounding the case, it’s said that on August 1, Kane was out with two women. Both returned with him that night – chauffeured by an off-duty police officer – to his lakeside mansion south of Buffalo, New York. The following morning, one of the women went to a local medical centre and said she had been raped by Kane.

No charges have been pressed in what is an ongoing, whirlwind investigation, and yet the hockey community’s response to the allegations against Kane can largely be described as dismissive. Dismissiveness from the NHL, which enjoys the profits of one of the healthiest hockey markets; dismissiveness from the Blackhawks organization that recently re-signed Kane to an eight-year $84 million contract, and more concerningly, dismissiveness from Kane’s fans.

Support for Kane has been unwavering – at the recent Stanley Cup banner raising ceremony in Chicago, cheers for the on-ice hero were loud. He was also honoured with his team before a Chicago Bears football game and treated to a roaring applause. More notably, people of all ages continue to wear his jersey to Blackhawks games.

[Kane’s] choice of words dismisses serious allegations as a “distraction” to what supposedly matters the most – the success of the team.

There are even hints of this dismissiveness in prosecutor Frank Sedita III’s approach to the investigation. A man with aspirations of winning a seat in the New York Supreme Court, Sedita has tread very carefully in dealing with one of his region’s most admired and beloved celebrities. An evidence bag procured by the plaintiff’s mother was deemed falsified by Sedita’s team, and Sedita’s most grandiose proclamation so far has been a 45-minute press conference dedicated exclusively to calling this bag a “hoax.” With Sedita putting repeated emphasis on the word “false” in what has been his principal public presentation, many of Kane’s fans have gone on to label the entire accusation as a lie.

The first time Kane addressed the allegations publicly was during a press conference held by the Chicago Blackhawks organization. Dressed in Blackhawks apparel, Kane awkwardly read through his scripted assertion of his innocence and apologized to his fans for causing a “distraction.” This choice of attire could suggest that Kane’s fans should also be cheering for him in the judicial proceedings. Further, the choice of words dismisses serious allegations as a “distraction” to what supposedly matters the most – the success of the team.

A Kane jersey-clad woman at a Blackhawks game earlier this month told the Guardian, “I just feel that’s not how he was raised. I feel like he didn’t do it. She got up from the bed and thought ‘Payday!’” Such comments, which hurt and belittle the plaintiff’s case and are based on nothing, demonstrate how alarmingly far some fans will go to defend the pedestal on which they’ve placed a player.

Similar comments and sentiments are prominent at Blackhawks games and on social media. Many of Patrick Kane’s fans have reached their own verdict in a case involving a person and a situation about which they know very little.

Professional athletes hire public relations experts to ensure that they present a desirable image, and in Kane’s situation, the experts have clearly done this effectively. Mainstream media too often builds up a player’s character to an unrealistic, superhero level. As fans of individual athletes, we must be aware of this construct.

In such situations, we should wait out the judicial process out of respect for the plaintiff and the accused. We must assess the media’s portrayal of the situation and reflect with a critical and objective eye, understanding that our perceptions are being carefully shaped by media professionals.

Sports fans should not be involved in making someone who comes forward about sexual assault feel ashamed or isolated, nor should they form a stance of denial when they cannot reliably access the facts of a case. This is especially important when fans’ opinions have clear influence over how a prosecutor approaches the case, or ultimately what a jury rules.

So, Patrick Kane fans – please wait it out. Maybe your fandom will have to subside for a season as the case takes its course, but better to quell your ardour and try to remain ethical and respectful observers.

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