Youth hockey coach Talha Javaid posted on Twitter a text from the father of one of his players asking for his resignation because Javaid is Muslim.
The message, which the father prefaces with “I’m not a racist,” says it would make more sense if Javaid, a Muslim, was a cricket coach, and that a Muslim hockey coach “goes against tradition.”
“I’m not a racist or anything but I don’t feel comfortable with you teaching [my son] and the influence you will have on him,” the text reads. “It’s hockey, right? It makes more sense if it’s not some Muslim guy teaching it.”
Javaid is a Pakistani-born Canadian, according to Yahoo Canada. The 23-year-old has played hockey since he was a child and often provides free clinics for 5- to 8-year-olds in East Lansing, Michigan, the outlet reported.
Javaid has never played cricket.
man imagine waking up on a friday and essentially being like “yooo, im gonna go be a racist ass muppet today and tell someone they shouldnt coach hockey because they’re not white, cant wait!!” pic.twitter.com/cNYEbsMB8t
— Talha (@flowseidon65) October 11, 2019
The father asked Javaid to resign and said he’s considering pulling his son from the team because the coach is Muslim.
“I don’t want to make this into an issue and really hope you would consider resigning and not coaching hockey, it goes against tradition and I’m sure there are others who feel the same way,” the message read. “I really don’t want to pull my son from the team either but would have to think about that if you’re the coach.”
Both the father’s full message and Javaid’s response are included in the text exchange the coach posted to Twitter.
Javaid said he will not resign and replied to the father that his son is “a good kid and he’s talented; you’re going to make his life very difficult through everything it seems you’re teaching him.”
The tweet got responses from prominent NHL figures, including San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane and Hall of Fame goalie Grant Fuhr.
And they try to convince us racism doesn’t exist anymore or in hockey. Keep coaching and doing your thing because sooner rather than later there will be a lot more people in all areas of hockey that look different then the “traditional way”. https://t.co/YV87I9saw0
— Evander Kane (@evanderkane_9) October 14, 2019
There are no words for a moron like that. https://t.co/01CmxG7DmM
— Grant Fuhr (@grantfuhr) October 12, 2019
