American Hockey League suspends player for 30 games for racist gesture toward Black player

Holden Perrelli, CNN

Updated 0740 GMT (1540 HKT) January 22, 2022

San Jose Barracuda's Krystof Hrabik is suspended until April over a racist gesture he made toward a Black player.

(CNN)The American Hockey League (AHL) on Friday suspended San Jose Barracuda forward Krystof Hrabik for 30 games for directing a racist gesture toward Boko Imama of the Tucson Roadrunners during a game earlier this month.

Multiple reports describe Hrabik imitating monkey-like movements in the direction of Imama, who is Black, during a January 12 game in San Jose, California. A spokesman for the AHL told CNN that the reporting of the gesture is accurate. «The AHL believes that individual inclusion learning is a key element of improving league-wide culture,» said the league in a statement. «As such, as part of his suspension, Hrabik will be provided the opportunity to work with the National Hockey League's Player Inclusion Committee to participate in education and training on racism and inclusion.»The AHL is the developmental professional league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Ukrainian Hockey League criticized for 'pathetic' punishment for racist gestureHrabik, 22, is a Czech Republic national in his second year with the San Jose Sharks' minor league affiliate. He would be eligible to return to play on April 3, according to the AHL's website.Read More«People should know that I had absolutely no inappropriate intent. The gesture was made in the heat of battle and while I didn't mean anything racist by what I did, I realize now through my own ignorance how my gesture could be interpreted,» Hrabik said in a statement obtained by Elliotte Friedman of Canadian station Sportsnet. «I fully accept the consequences of my actions and am not appealing