The Vancouver Giants have been hit with a huge fine after an 85-year-old scout’s inappropriate on-air remark to a female broadcaster caught attention online.
On Wednesday evening, Vancouver Giants head scout Terry Bonner spoke to the media just moments after the team made two selections in the WHL Prospects Draft.
However, their picks were immediately overshadowed by the excruciatingly awkward moment, after Bonner commented on the interviewer’s looks rather than the Draft.
‘Congratulations on a huge pick in Eli Vickers at third overall. What made him a good fit for the Giants organization?’, host Cami Kepke asked.Â
A beaming Bonner replied: ‘Well thank you very much. You’re a good looking girl’.
The Western Hockey League took swift action following the incident, slapping the Giants with a $5,000 fine for conduct they deemed detrimental to the professional standards of the organization.
Vancouver Giants head scout Terry Bonner went viral after his comments during an inverview
Bonner called WHL host Cami Kepke a ‘good looking girl’ when speaking to her Wednesday
WHL Commissioner Dan Near issued a stern statement confirming the fine.
‘Accountability is a cornerstone value of our League – that includes both players and staff. In this instance, regardless of intent, the remarks are not reflective of the organization’s standards of respect and inclusion,’ Near said over the matter.
The league’s decision to penalize the club comes despite some fans on social media attempting to defend Bonner, citing his long-standing reputation and ‘old school’ manner within the hockey community.
However, the consensus remains that Kepke was put in an uncomfortable position while trying to conduct an interview about the team’s draft selections.
Bonner seemed as though he tried to laugh off the awkward remark but there was a notable silence from within the studio after the comment.Â
Cami Kepke, a respected sports reporter who recently celebrated her engagement, has maintained a silence on her social media accounts over the matter.
The Giants organization has reportedly accepted the fine and expressed regret over the distraction, which has completely overshadowed their selection of top prospects Eli Vickers and Brayden Jugnauth.
