Deynzer needs to apologize to Akim and undergo some sensitivity training. It was a dumb stunt but I'd rather he and the organization learn from it than destroy Deynzer's life. Use it as a teaching moment. I would issue a reprimand to make him understand his conduct was wrong and antithetical to the organization's values and therefore discipline is warranted. I would ensure all employees of the Eagles organization undergo that same sensitivity training as well as a reminder on the organization's values. Then I would tell everyone to learn from it and get back to playing hockey cuz hockey is for everyone.
This always gets equated to "destroying his life." It's not going to destroy his life. Derail his career maybe, but not destroy his life. And he deserves to be fired for this. Let him start over somewhere else, and in time, maybe he'll work his way back. Them's the breaks, kid.
And...no. Some bullshit sensitivity training and a public apology is precisely why this culture needs to be upended. There need to be real consequences.
If he had just blurted something out racially insensitive, then yeah, I could see the apology being sufficient. This is beyond unacceptable, to stage a prank like this with multiple collaborators, to go out of your way to single out one player of color (I'm guessing he was the ONLY black player on the Eagles roster at the time) and thereby alienate him is disgusting. This was a premeditated act. And I'd go farther than this because there is no way in hell at least some of the higher-ups didn't know about this.
