Ohio State then-junior forward Kamil Sadlocha (11) prepares to take a shot during the Ohio State game against Wisconsin on Feb.5. Ohio State won 6-2. Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor
Senior forward Kamil Sadlocha has returned to the Ohio State men’s ice hockey team but will not play Friday and Saturday against Michigan State, head coach Steve Rohlik said Wednesday.
Sadlocha’s return comes after he was accused Nov. 21 of using multiple racial slurs by Spartans senior forward Jagger Joshua during a game in East Lansing in November. Ohio State athletics director Gene Smith apologized to Joshua in a statement Nov. 22, and Sadlocha returned home and didn’t further participate in practice or competition.
Rohlik said Sadlocha has returned to practice and said multiple factors went into the decision for Sadlocha to not play this weekend.
Smith said in a November statement the Ohio State men’s ice hockey program would meet with him “to discuss our values” and complete education on racial sensitivity, diversity, equity, inclusion and “the use of respectful dialog.”
“I really think it’s an educational piece for all of us, not just in the game of hockey, but in life and everything we do,” Rohlik said. “I think that, to me, is the most positive thing that we got to do moving forward.”
The Big Ten investigated the incident after the game, and Joshua said Nov. 22 he felt “unhappy with the Big Ten’s refusal to move forward with additional discipline,” according to Maddy Warren of The State News, In a November statement, the Big Ten said it could not impose any further disciplinary action due to a lack of evidence but supported the decision to penalize Ohio State for misconduct when the incident happened.
The Buckeyes are coming off a 20-day break in their schedule, and Friday’s game will be the first time the teams will play one another since the incident.
According to Sam Sklar of the State News, Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale said he “hasn’t sensed any sort of anxiety from Joshua” before this weekend’s series, and supported Ohio State’s course of action.
“I think everyone makes mistakes. I don’t think it should be the end of anyone,” Nightingale told The State News. “I have faith in Ohio State and their ability to help people change and I think that’s at the end of the day what we’re here as college coaches. The biggest thing is we are trying to impact and some people make mistakes and it’s about moving on. I trust that they’ve gone through a process where they feel he’s ready to be back on the team.”
Rohlik said Ohio State and Sadlocha will decide to return to in-game competition “when he’s ready.”
“We’re trying to educate, we’re trying to teach and to work through the process,” Rohlik said. “Not just him, but our whole team, and I think we’re trying to be part of the solution and we’re moving forward. And I think, really, that’s the bottom line.”
Fifth-year senior forward Jake Wise said the Nov. 11 incident was a tough situation, and the education has been important for the team to become closer.
“I think it has been really important, and it’s been really important for us as a group, too,” Wise said. “It’s made us a bit closer. Again, like I said before, terrible situation. But the only way that to get through it was to kind of really get closer and become even better as a team, and I think that’s what we’re trying to do is just be better as a team in all aspects.”
