Enemy image after collision
In the playoffs the National Hockey League (NHL) like to boil up emotions. The fans prefer to look for a single opponent player as an enemy. In the series between Colorado and st louis caught Nazem Kadri. In the third game of playoff-Quarterfinals – a game before his hat trick – Kadri was with the goalkeeper of the St Louis Blues Jordan Binnington collides. A situation that can occur in ice hockey games, intention was not recognizable.
The bitterness for the blues: their goalkeeper injured himself so badly in the scene that he left for the rest playoffseries failed. The culprit was quickly found, and from that moment on, Nazem Kadri was the enemy, the villain. But with boos in the direction of the avalancheStriker was not done. The insults quickly degenerated and the 31-year-old and his family were subjected to racist hostilities and death threats. Kadri’s wife shared some of them on social media.
Nazem Kadri has Lebanese roots. His grandparents immigrated to Canada when his father was a young child. Kadri himself was born and raised in the province of Ontario. His first NHLstation were the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team with the maple leaf on their chest, the most famous ice hockey team in the country. Kadri is Canadian. But: He has darker skin than most of his compatriots. And he’s a Muslim. The threats he was bombarded with were largely Islamophobic. “Unfortunately, I’ve had to deal with these things for a long time”Kadri said. “It’s sad and bad, but I’m trying to pretend it’s not.”
Racism in ice hockey is not an isolated case
The racist attacks against Nazem Kadri are not isolated. In ice hockey – a sport that is mainly played by white people – it has always been difficult for players with different skin colors to gain a foothold. Recently, it seemed as if steps had been taken in the right direction. So Nazem Kadri is a founding member of Hockey Diversity Alliance – a group of current and former NHL-Player who wants to fight racism in ice hockey.
After his wife made the hate comments public, the Kadri family found out on social media using the hashtag #StandWithNaz a wave of solidarity. But rethinking ice hockey obviously still takes time. Craig Berube, coach of the St Louis Blues, missed a big chance when asked about the threats against Nazem Kadri. He responded tight-lipped “No comment”. A few days later he wanted to straighten it out and emphasized that he had received threats, but not from “the racist stuff” knew. Nevertheless, those responsible wipe in the NHL fundamentally societal issues too often, citing the fact that they need to focus on the next game.
“This is for those who hate”
Regardless of the off-ice insults, they played St Louis Blues during the playoffseries particularly hard against Nazem Kadri and exceeded many a limit. Kadri has a reputation for not being able to control his nerves in important games. In the playoffs he has already missed 16 games in recent years because he was banned for (frustration) fouls. But Nazem Kadri has matured. He can no longer be provoked. Not from fouls, not from threats. He now responds with goals. And pushes: “This is for those who hate.”