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The Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) remains tight-lipped about its three-month long investigation into allegations of harassment and discrimination made by a transgender athlete from Vancouver Island University.
Now that the investigation has concluded, Abbotsford’s Columbia Bible College (CBC) is no longer the host of the 2025 basketball provincials.In a statement, Vancouver Island University thanked PACWEST “for its diligence and commitment to upholding its standards, and we extend our gratitude to all those who supported this process.”The investigation was triggered by an incident that took place last year. Hariette Mackenzie was playing in a two-day weekend basketball tournament in late October.Vancouver Island University (VIU) was playing Columbia Bible College on Oct. 26 when, in the third quarter, Mackenzie was grabbed by an opposing player and thrown to the ground.Mackenzie also alleges that Columbia’s head coach cornered one of VIU’s athletic staff after the Oct. 25 game and said Mackenzie should not be allowed to play.“Sadly, situations like these are nothing new to me,” Mackenzie said in a video posted to Instagram after the games. “Throughout my entire playing career, I’ve been outed and attacked by everyone from players to coaches to fans.”Mackenzie is a transgender athlete who plays for the Vancouver Island University Mariners. She took to social media after the incident, telling her story of what happened.
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“They don’t care that I began my transition in kindergarten, never having undergone a male puberty,” Mackenzie said in her video.“They don’t care that my testosterone levels are one-tenth that of a cis-woman due to the absence of reproductive organs placing me at a significant competitive disadvantage, they don’t care. Instead, they’re fuelled by their shared bigotry and ignorance.”During the investigation, VIU refused to play a pair of regular season games against CBC in January.VIU formally requested an exemption from those games without penalty, given the ongoing investigation at the time and the sensitive nature of the situation.
In a statement released Monday, VIU said the school is satisfied with the results of the PACWEST inquiry.“The decision reinforces the importance of upholding principles of respect, equity, and inclusion with collegiate athletics,” the statement read.“We are pleased with the results of the investigation, which reflect the values we uphold at Vancouver Island University.”Columbia Bible College, meanwhile, says it is “deeply disappointed” with the association’s decision. “We do not believe that a proper process was followed or that the results were fair. As a result, we are taking steps to have PACWEST’s decision reviewed,” the college said in a statement.“We will not be commenting further at this time.”PACWEST released a brief statement on Feb. 4 stating that the investigation had officially concluded and a decision had been communicated to both schools.It is unclear where provincials will be held this year.
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