Special to The Ryersonian

Sandra Pothier, Ryerson’s women’s basketball head coach, has chosen to speak out for the first time about allegations she made racially insensitive remarks to former players last summer.

A Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) sponsored event, called Urban Unity Basketball Tournament: “Reclaiming the Courts!” spurred Pothier to speak out. Flyers handed out at the  Sunday tournament say: “Historical and recent allegations of racism and oppressive behaviour on the part of the coach exist. Lack of ‘malicious intent’ has cleared the coach of accountability.”

Women's basketball coach Sandra Pothier is haunted by accusations that she made culturally insensitive remarks. This week, Pothier defended herself from those accusations for the first time, following an RSU event called Urban Unity. "Only one side has ever been told," Pothier said. "it's unfair." Photo: Scott Valentine/ Ryersonian Staff

“This entire flyer is untrue,” says Pothier.

Last summer, five of Pothier’s players walked off the courts. Amanda Redhead, last year’s Ryerson female athlete of the year, was the first to quit the team over the alleged comments and was soon followed by teammates, Vanessa Smardenka, Julia Ounphongxay, Josephine Agudo, and Danielle Williams.

The five went public with their allegations last fall, appearing in photographs and stories  that detail their accusations, in The Eyeopener and the Toronto Star.

Ryerson’s Discrimination and Harassment Services launched an investigation into the allegations and the case was settled quietly late last term, according to Pothier and organizers of the basketball tournament.

“The findings of the investigation indicated that I did not breach the Ryerson discrimination and harassment policy, says Pothier. “(And) it is absolutely untrue that there has been other investigations (of me).”

Pothier would not elaborate any further on the allegations against her, saying it would violate Ryerson policy to speak about the details of the case.

Redhead was also saying little. “I have no comment  . . .  I don’t talk to The Ryersonian . . . I don’t want to speak to any media,” said Redhead, raising her voice slightly, at the tournament. The other former players stood silently behind her.

The women, decked out in black shorts and T-shirts with pink lettering spelling out the word “Panthers,” played the first game of the tournament.

Williams also declined to talk about anything except the tournament. “It’s (the tournament) about urban unity. I don’t think people are here to support the case. Half the people are not even aware of it. It’s really about being all together again.”

More than 100 people paid the $5 admission fee to attend the tournament in the Upper Gym in Kerr Hall West on Sunday afternoon. Four Ryerson security guards and two Toronto police officers manned the doors and patted attendees down as they entered the gym, which was filled with loud hip hop music and even louder accusations. Attendees were handed a flyer on their way in that very clearly states that the event was not just about “being all together,” but was actually in support of the five players who first launched the allegations against Pothier.

The flyer says: “On September 1 2006, 5 women of the Ryerson RAMS Basketball team quit in efforts to unite against racism . . . We say it’s the impact that counts. Send the message of Zero Tolerance for racism on campus. Join UBSR (United Black Students at Ryerson), RSU, and N.I.S.E. (Clothing) for Urban Unity: “Reclaiming the Courts” and stand in solidarity with the (former members of the) Ryerson Women’s Basketball team.”

On Tuesday, Ryerson president Sheldon Levy said he had not heard about the flyers  distributed at the event.

“I didn’t even know about it so I would have to do some background checking on that, I just don’t know . . . I just make no comment on this . . . We follow policy,” said Levy.

Ryerson’s discrimination and harassment officer, Ann Whiteside, says she did not know about the event or the contents of the flyer until  Monday morning.

“I never comment on specific cases . . . We encourage parties to work towards resolutions . . . They are asked to keep it confidential, but there is no way to actually enforce that,” she said.

RSU president Muhammad Ali Jabbar says he stands by RSU’s decision to print the flyers and sponsor the tournament.

The flyer says that “one   player was on an athletic scholarship.” but Ryerson does not offer athletic scholarships. Jabbar said he  was not aware of the factual error. He said the flyers cost about $200 to print and a member of UBSR wrote the flyer, but he would not say who.

The RSU first became involved in this event last term when some students came to RSU with the idea. RSU vice-president education, Nora Loreto, would not divulge who those students were. It took a few months to bring it all together and RSU paid for the flyers distributed at the event. UBSR, East African Students of Toronto (EAST), Urban Hip Hop Union, N.I.S.E. Clothing, Blueprint, and Universal Urban.com also sponsored the event. Loreto said the $5 admission fee was to cover some of the other costs of running the tournament and said there would most likely be no profits made from it.

“Maybe this event will make a strong statement that we will stand up against racism . . .  a  university investigation is not a court of law, the results do not exonerate her,” said Loreto, referring to Pothier.

“Whether or not they (the five women) were right is not the point. They felt attacked. I think that the university needs to step up . . . The real problem is with systemic racism and barriers to education.”

Rumours circulated in the gymnasium that attendees were being racially profiled because of the high security at the door.

“RAC (Recreation and Athletics Centre) staff said we had to have security to search for weapons and it was warranted based on the clientele attending the event. The whole point of this was to come together in a peaceful event,” said RSU event co-ordinator, Luis Mejicamo.

But RAC manager of marketing, Jane Brown, said it was routine scrutiny. “I’m sorry if people felt that way . . .  but we have security at all events, just to ensure the safety of everyone at those events.”

Pothier says that, in the face of all this controversy, she will definitely be back next year to coach the latest recruits, but she is worried that some athletes will choose not to come to Ryerson next year because of the controversy surrounding her.

“They (the five women) violated Ryerson policy by talking, and it was printed in a national paper. Only one side has ever been told. It’s unfair, “ says Pothier.

“I’m not allowed to tell my side,” says Pothier. Ryerson’s policy has all parties agree to confidentiality.”