DOPs

Thread starter #1
Possibly needs it's own thread away from the Fretter one. Taken from the new ruling on the incident:-

Further to this, the Elite Ice Hockey League have removed Simon Kirkham as Head of the Department of Player Safety with immediate effect.
 

osh

Well-Known Member
#2
So, Fretter gets a 6 game ban ( a bit more like it should have been ) Goulakos gets a 2 game ban, and the best news is that Kirkham has been removed from his DOPS position !!
 

Kal

Active Member
#3
Clubs will meet on the 8th and half of them will refuse to pay whats needed to improve the situation. Hopefully the league takes up some of the offers of help from former players etc
 

Foxy

Well-Known Member
#4
So, Fretter gets a 6 game ban ( a bit more like it should have been ) Goulakos gets a 2 game ban, and the best news is that Kirkham has been removed from his DOPS position !!
There was no way he was going to be able to continue after this.

Panel now of ex players and and overseas refs, whch i thought we had a few years ago.
 

Foxy

Well-Known Member
#5
Clubs will meet on the 8th and half of them will refuse to pay whats needed to improve the situation. Hopefully the league takes up some of the offers of help from former players etc
Im sorry but they cant be carried by other the other teams all of the time. They want to play in the league they conribute. Its only fair. At the end of the day there shouldnt be a price on player safety.
 

august04

Well-Known Member
#6
Kirkham's position was untenable. Good riddance to the clown. I’d like to understand whether outside influences caused him to give Fretter a 1 game ban initially. It just seems ludicrous that he thought he could do that without implications. We'll never know that though I guess. Hope Lyle Seitz and PSC can continue working with the EIHL long term. They seem to have applied common sense and provided detailed info as to why the punishments have been given. What a refreshing change.
 

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#7
Hallelujah! Common sense has triumphed, difficult to argue with anything in this explanation and hopefully this level of analysis will continue. The original decision was mystifying beyond belief but this has reaffirmed my belief that new-DOPS, run by the right people, can be a force for good.
 

Devil94

Well-Known Member
#8
Also lets not miss the fact that an experienced panel thought the original decision by Hicks for the hit was the correct one. I've slated Hicks enough on here over the years but got to give credit when it's deserved.

Hopefully soon though he and other refs will be given an extra set of eyes with them on the ice, to try and stop the league getting dragged through the mud once again.
 
#9
Any sorry l would normally have for a person losing their job/position has been lost knowing Kirkham has been removed from a position he should never have been appointed into within such a biased organisation. I hope they actually ban him from any future position within UK Ice Hockey, the autocracy over the last few years should provide adequate justification.


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Legin

Active Member
#10
Kirkham has been announced as being removed from his position at DOPS but I have seen nothing about his role as referee supervisor / assesor
 
#11
The blame for this fiasco cannot be placed 100% on Simon Kirkham. Now that he has been dispensed with he feels free to disclose what really went on last week. I doubt it as he has been made the scrapegoat in order to deflect the spotlight from those responsible.

I have found Simon to be an honourable person can anyone vouch for others at the top of the rickerty EIHL tree. Time will tell.
 
#12
[Agree with OJ and may I quote what I posted earlier in the week on this.

I believe it to be true that Simon Kirkham is the SOLE arbiter in any DOPS rulings.
However, he is not solely responsible for this mess as he should never be judge, jury and executioner, there should be a panel of experts, in my view at least 5 independent individuals made up of former players and officials and medical professionals (Dr. Silverwood has already offered to do this on a voluntary basis, I believe).
Having just one person in sole charge leaves that person open to influence and coercion from other interested parties (fill name in here) or at the very least the perception of such interference and biased decision making will always be casting a shadow over any such controversial rulings.
Again, I say Kirkham should go now for the credibility and wellbeing of OUR sport!
EIHL should review the ruling and an NHL/KHL (insert league name here) system adopted before irreparable damage is done.[/QUOTE]


The blame for this fiasco cannot be placed 100% on Simon Kirkham. Now that he has been dispensed with he feels free to disclose what really went on last week. I doubt it as he has been made the scrapegoat in order to deflect the spotlight from those responsible.

I have found Simon to be an honourable person can anyone vouch for others at the top of the rickerty EIHL tree. Time will tell.
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#13
Simon Kirkham has been involved in the game for a very long time, and at a higher level than the EIHL. I just can't fathom how he thought 1 game was appropriate for that. Something stinks to me and the subsequent intervention by the league is equally as strange (although the right thing to do).

Because it's involving the EIHL, the Steelers and a Steelers player almost getting off with it something just seems a little underhand for me.
 

bb1

Well-Known Member
#16

For me I think he's a little hard done by here but slowly he's getting a rep that isn't going to help him.

He goes to throw a hit and the Caps player tries to avoid by dropping and almost countering in a submarine type fashion.
Noble did this last year to Bordy. IMO it's a very dangerous way of avoiding a hit and can lead to serious injury.
It's hockey your going to get hit....deal with it or play football.

Anyway he reacted like most would and went after the D man. Not in the way Fretter did may I add (as you can see from the video). Plus the explanation suggests any form of fight will lead to a match ban!!!

The fact the Nettie got involved and threw the blocker up with no ban so far is ridiculous.

The fact DOPS is so inconsistent is unbelievable and is making our league into a laughing stock.
 

Jones72

Active Member
#18
However, he is not solely responsible for this mess as he should never be judge, jury and executioner, there should be a panel of experts, in my view at least 5 independent individuals made up of former players and officials and medical professionals (Dr. Silverwood has already offered to do this on a voluntary basis, I believe).
Splitting hairs, maybe, but Dr Silverwood is a PhD, not a medical Dr.

Fully agree that a medical professional should be included on the panel...and I’m sure, knowing Dr Silverwood as I do, that she would also be a very valuable addition.


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pjj365

Well-Known Member
#19
However the new DOPS is structured there is a need for input from a medic and a legal expert

Vicky would be good for the legal role She has discussed on here (about 28 months or more ago) the scope of informed consent within the rules, practices and traditions of the game (players know there are risks and fights etc. but sign up to play) and out and out violence/potential criminal behaviour.

Apart from the critical player protection there is a need for the league to SHOW a duty of care to players thus avoiding litigation as is happening in N America. Vicky has an almost unique insight into this
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#20
I'm not so sure about a medical professional or legal aspect. Seems overkill. And with no disrespect to Dr Silverwood if she was to ever leave any position on DOPS, who would replace her? Her field is very niche, and if we are to make it a thing on DOPS you need redundancy and a plan for the future.

For me it should be 2/3 former players and a referee - not a retired one but a referee who is currently playing but not involved in the incident in question but their remit should be purely for rule interpretation. Any ban should be decided by those former players.

NHL DOPS is made up of purely former players and theirs is about spot on.
 
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