Bobby Hull didn't deserve to be an ambassador for Chicago's NHL team in the first place

This is a column by Shireen Ahmed, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section, please see the FAQ.

Warning: This column discusses sexual assault.

After an exhilarating period of revelling in the success of hockey — women's hockey to be specific — at the 2022 Beijing Olympics there was a less thrilling development off the ice on Monday. The Chicago NHL team announced Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, 83, would no longer continue his role as a team ambassador. 

In its statement, the Chicago NHL team said it is  "redefining" the role of an ambassador to its franchise. Ambassadorship is a position that implies responsibility and entails a type of diplomacy in sport. It is a way of honouring past players and their contributions to a community, a city. An ambassador is a worthy representative of the sport. Or not. 

Hull was appointed as a team ambassador in 2008 alongside fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita. During his 15 years playing in Chicago, Hull was a stalwart of the team. He amassed more than 604 goals and 549 assists. He was known as "The Golden Jet" for his blond hair coupled with his incredible speed and strength in his shot. 

Hull was 5-foot-10 and incredibly tough. Known as a formidable opponent and unrelenting scorer, the Point Anne, Ont., native was known to be stubborn. He unceremoniously left the team after battling with the front office about his salary and moved to the Winnipeg Jets of the rival World Hockey Association. 

Hull, however, had other qualities. He was known for his wicked temper, his drinking and multiple allegations made against him. Sportswriter Gare Joyce's 2011 book, The Devil and Bobby Hull: How Hockey's Original Million-Dollar Man Became the Game's Lost