Representatives from Abbotsford's Columbia Bible College have said they were surprised to learn that the Vancouver Island University Mariners women's basketball team will not travel to Abbotsford this weekend due to what they call safety concerns.
The concerns stem back to a pair of alleged incidents that occurred during the Mariners and CBC Bearcats women's basketball games in Nanaimo in October.
Mariners player Harriette Mackenzie, a transgender woman, claimed that CBC women's head coach Taylor Claggett went on a “tirade” after losing on Oct. 25, yelling at a Mariners staff member about how Mackenzie shouldn’t be allowed to play against women. A social media account linked to Claggett also posted anti-trans messages after the game.
The two sides played again on Oct. 26 and Mackenzie claimed her opponents physically targeted her. She shared a video from the game where, away from the ball, a Columbia player tosses Mackenzie to the ground.
Mackenzie filed a complaint with the Pacwest conference and it was stated that CBC, VIU and the league would investigate the incidents. That investigation is still ongoing and the Mariners team was not satisfied with the progress made. The team then released a letter on Tuesday (Jan. 7) explaining why they would not be competing in Abbotsford. They believed that the environment at the game would be unsafe.
Statement from @ColumbiaBibleCo related to the @VIUMariners WBB no show https://t.co/51VhMHpBVj pic.twitter.com/sXNmyvblkA
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) January 8, 2025
CBC officials stated that a safety plan had been created for those specific games and they had involved discussions with VIU, the Pacwest and the Abbotsford Police Department. They added that CBC is a safe place for all in a statement.
"CBC stands for safe play for all," the statement reads. "Accusations that CBC, its coaches, players and fans are a safety threat are simply misinformed and untrue. CBC, in cooperation with the Pacwest, developed an event safety plan specifically for these games. We received input from VIU and the Abbotsford Police Department. This plan included extra security among other measures."
The statement pointed out that the VIU Mariners men's team will still be competing in Abbotsford against the CBC Bearcats men's team this weekend and that they will be welcomed.
Rival refuses to play Columbia Bible College, citing treatment of trans teammate https://t.co/MnSCzoJFbZ
— Abbotsford News (@AbbyNews) January 8, 2025
The letter created by the Mariners players added that they want Claggett punished and the provincial championship tournament to be moved from CBC. They are scheduled to be hosting that event later this year.
CBC was asked about the possibility of moving the championships and they said that they will work with the Pacwest to ensure the event is successful. They added that they are participating fully with the ongoing investigation of the incidents.
Pacwest officials stated that can not comment on anything related to the incident or this game because it is part of an ongoing investigation. They also pointed to their original statement on Nov. 1, which said that the league is dedicated to providing all student-athletes with the opportunity to freely participate in competition. That statement also reiterates the Pacwest's desire to play in an inclusive environment free of harassment.
Statement from the @pacwestbc (the investigation of incidents that took place on Oct. 25/26 is STILL ongoing) – https://t.co/ydwplzopO2 pic.twitter.com/UbsZTRriJa
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) January 9, 2025
With files from: The Canadian Press
