The NHL neither suspended ice hockey player Ryan Getzlaf, captain of the Anaheim Ducks, for nor required him to learn from the homophobic and misogynist language he used on May 18, 2017. Just last year, the organization set a precedent of suspension and sensitivity training for when a player uses slurs that it did not follow when disciplining Getzlaf.

This petition is asking the NHL—specifically Colin Campbell, the senior executive vice president of hockey relations at the NHL—to publicly explain why it chose neither to suspend Getzlaf nor require him to undergo sensitivity training. If the NHL cannot explain, this petition is asking the NHL to offer an apology for allowing an on-ice slur to go largely unpunished and to promise to indiscriminately apply the same level of discipline to any player, regardless of the circumstances, who uses a slur while on the ice.

By neither suspending Getzlaf for nor requiring him to learn from his inappropriate language, the organization seemed to indicate that it takes neither homophobia nor misogyny seriously.

As a fan of the sport, I am disheartened by the NHL's actions, especially after the NHL dedicated an entire month to fostering inclusion and diversity in ice hockey, and I want an explanation to the NHL's double standards.