Boy, 9, benched after parents file lawsuit against Winnipeg hockey association vice-president

A Winnipeg minor hockey player was benched for his team's season finale Saturday after his parents filed a defamation lawsuit naming a South Winnipeg Hockey Association (SWHA) board member as a defendant.

The association made the decision to indefinitely suspend the boy and his parents, Elena Russo Rusak and Corey Rusak, from all league-related activities on Thursday, after they submitted a statement of claim at Manitoba Court of King's Bench Tuesday against Hiten Shah, vice-president with the hockey association.

"It's heartbreaking on so many levels," Russo Rusak said.

"It's not even about hockey. Every child deserves to do what they want to do and none of them should ever be penalized and be used as a pawn," she said.

The suit alleges the couple's reputation has been damaged and their character has been impugned after Shah sent an email to 17 families in the team on Dec. 23 that was "defamatory, untrue and was maliciously stated" with intent to disparage Rusak and Russo Rusak.

In his email, included in the lawsuit, Shah said the association investigated several concerns raised by members of the team, including a complaint involving the couple. 

The email noted Rusak and Russo Rusak, who served as the team's assistant coach and co-manager respectively, used inappropriate language and made threats in accosting a coach after a game on Dec. 14.  

After interviewing three families who were present during the incident, parent misconduct was found to have occurred and both parents were stripped of their roles with the team, according to Shah's email.

"They fired us publicly in an email that went to every parent," Rusak said. "We found out when every other parent found out," Russo Rusak added.

Rusak told CBC he called the coach out after the game to "stop benching the kids" and yelling at them, but he denied threatening or using inappropriate language. 

"I'm trying to keep the kids safe, that's my job, when you take these courses as assistant coach," Rusak said.

CBC News has reached out to Shah, but hasn't heard back. None of the allegations have been tested in court and no statement of defence has been filled yet. 

Days after the lawsuit was filed, Steve Mason, president of the South Winnipeg Hockey Association sent a letter to the couple via email that said the association had made the decision to indefinitely suspend them and their son from all league-related activities.

"He should be at a game right now, his last playoff game and he's not. He's sitting on the couch by himself right now, playing Fortnite," Russo Rusak said Saturday afternoon.