Hockey team apologise for ‘gay chicken’ scandal

The Hockey team have apologised after being banned following a game of “gay chicken”.

In a blog post published on the UEA Student Union website, Hockey President Richard Shapland admitted “we got it wrong”.

Shapland has apologised for initiation games which led to the team being banned, saying “I even said in an interview with Concrete that I would ‘eat my words’ if I was wrong.”

After realising that he was indeed wrong, he has now admitted: “I was wrong, and it’s time for me to eat my words.”

Earlier last month, the team were investigated after snapchats of them playing “gay chicken” on a tour bus were sent to the Union.

In the statement, Shapland says: “I don’t have excuses or justifications for what happened.”

“Let me say clearly. We were wrong for the actions on that bus, and I was wrong in my assessment of the situation.”

Shapland also admitted that he did not do enough at the time to resolve the situation, writing: “I even said that ‘if people look uncomfortable then I can remove them from that situation’

“It is increasingly clear to me that both working out if someone is uncomfortable and removing someone from that situation is complicated and difficult.”

The President, who is also president of the SnowSport society, went on to outline the Hockey team’s plans to rebuild their reputation with the Union.

He said: “I’m calling on every Sports team in the University to take part in Equality and Diversity workshops that we’ll be working with the SU to put on.

“I want every Sports Club to sign a commitment to driving homophobia and other forms of discrimination out of Sport.

“And I am only too happy to call on everyone – Sports Club member or not – to tell someone when they hear of or see behaviour that might be discriminatory – however well intentioned.”

It is still unclear why people thought a pig was involved.