EAST LANSING (WWJ) - Michigan State hockey's Jagger Joshua said he is left "confused and pessimistic" about the sport after he claims authorities failed to punish an opposing Ohio State player for hurling a racial slur at him multiple times during a Nov. 11 game in East Lansing.
Joshua, senior at Michigan State and a Black forward from Dearborn, took to Twitter on Monday night where he said an Ohio State player used a racial slur on several occasions during the Spartans' matchup 11 days ago against the Buckeyes at Munn Ice Area.
And the conference, Joshua wrote, has failed to do anything about it.
"Acts of racism do not belong in hockey, as they can discourage African Americans and minorities like myself from playing and loving the game," Joshua wrote on Twitter. "Inaction in the face of racist comments and actions allow these behaviors to continue."
In his social media post, Joshua accused an opposing Ohio State player of calling him racial slur more than once. On one of the occasions, a game official overheard the player and issued a misconduct penalty against him.
Nathaniel Bott of the Lansing State Journal noted that one Ohio State player, Kamil Sadlocha, was the subject of a game misconduct penalty at the 10:39 mark in the second period of the Nov. 11 game, but Joshua did not publicly name the player in his four-paragraph post.
But that is as far as the punishment went, Joshua claims.
"The inaction has left me feeling confused and pessimistic about the movement of diversity within hockey culture," Joshua added. "The ignorance of racism does not belong in our game. And I feel that I need to make people aware that this incident occurred, because without acknowledgement, the problem gets worse."
As reported by the Detroit News, the Big Ten said in a statement Monday night that the conference "collected and evaluated" information provided by the Big Ten officiating crew, both Ohio State and Michigan State and compiled available video footage from the game.
After reviewing the information, the conference said it believed the Big Ten crew's decision to issue the penalty was sufficient.
"Due to the absence of indisputable evidence presented to the conference, the conference has not imposed further disciplinary action," the Big Ten said in a statement provided by the Detroit News.
"The Big Ten Conference is committed to providing our student-athletes inclusive environments free from acts of harassment or discrimination in any form.
"The safety and well-being of our campus communities remains our top priority."
Ohio State also provided a statement over the alleged incident, as published by the Detroit News.
"The Ohio State department of athletics and the men’s hockey program worked collaboratively with the Big Ten Conference to come to a resolution in response to the allegation of misconduct toward the Big Ten sportsmanship policy," Ohio State's athletic department said in a prepared statement.
"Ohio State is focused on providing an inclusive and supportive environment for all. The department is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all. Our Buckeye Inclusion committee has done an outstanding job with providing education and awareness across our department, both for students and staff. We are committed to recognizing our remarkable diversity and utilizing our core values to ensure everyone attending or participating in an athletic event feels safe and welcome."
The player who received the misconduct penalty has continued to play in games since the alleged incident. It is unclear if he faced any disciplinary action from officials at Ohio State.
Michigan State athletics director Alan Haller and head hockey coach Adam Nightingale also took to Twitter on Monday night, issuing joint statements in support of Joshua while denouncing acts of "discrimination, racism or hate."
"Michigan State athletics stands with Jagger Joshua, and commends him for having the courage to speak up against racial injustice," Haller wrote in a post to the Michigan State Athletics social media page. "As a department, we are committed to providing opportunities for all student-athletes to compete in a space free from discrimination, racism or hate."
"At Michigan State, we are committed to a safe and welcoming space for our student-athletes," Nightingale said in a joint statement. "It is important to me that all student-athletes feel comfortable and supported in our locker room and in our program. I am proud to have Jagger Joshua on our team."
This seasons is Joshua's fourth playing at Michigan State, according to the athletic department. The 6'3", 210 lbs. forward is ranked fifth for points on the team, with six goals and five assists. His older brother, Dakota, played hockey at Ohio State and is currently in the St. Louis Blues organization.
Joshua graduated from Edsel Ford High School in Dearborn
The forward ended his social media post publicly thanking his team and the university for their support during the ordeal.
"I would like to thank my teammates, coaches, and staff at Michigan State," Joshua wrote. "I am incredibly thankful for their support since this incident and as I have navigated this process."