Hockey officials are whistling more penalties for discriminatory taunts, insults and intimidation on the ice, according to a Hockey Canada report.
The national governing body of hockey says penalties called under its discrimination rule increased 41 per cent during the 2023-24 season, to 2.6 per 1,000 players from 1.9 in 2022-23.
Sex, sexual orientation and gender-based slurs were the most common type of witnessed penalties resulting in suspensions.
Racial slurs were the second-most common type of reported discrimination.
Reports and allegations of discrimination officials didn’t catch on the ice, and required follow-up investigation, decreased 11 per cent to 1.3 per 1,000 last season from 1.5 the previous year.
Hockey Canada began publishing an annual report on maltreatment in 2022.