It appears that the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) is not the only one voicing its opinion over Team Canada's player selections.
Former Minister of Amateur sport Denis Coderre on Thursday lashed out at Team Canada's selection committee saying Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan should not represent Canada after reports he verbally slammed French Canadians.
''I believe truly that if you are going (to) the Olympic games, you're going under a flag and the values attached to it,'' Coderre said Thursday. ''And to have people like Todd Bertuzzi and Shane Doan... specifically Shane Doan because as you know, last December 13th at the hockey game against the Habs he said something pretty nasty against frenchmen and he used the F-word.''
At the end of the Coyotes' game in Montreal on Dec. 13, Doan was given a gross misconduct for verbally abusing referee Stephane Auger. Following the game, allegations swirled that Doan's comments may have been culturally related because the game was called by four francophone officials.
The NHL looked into the matter and didn't feel there was any problem and there was no discipline.
''It's totally unacceptable and I sent a letter to Bob Nicholson, the president of Hockey Canada, and I'm sending all the messages that I can to all my sports colleagues to send a clear message that as long as Mr. Doan doesn't apologize and show that he truly regrets his gesture that he shouldn't be there as a member of the team, period,'' said Coderre.
''If he doesn't make the appropriate apologies for his anti-francophone and intolerant statements, he should be expelled from the team,'' Coderre said in his letter to Nicholson. ''Mr. Doan has not only insulted our country's francophones, but the vast majority of Canadians.''
Doan denied the comments in a statement released on Thursday.
''Once again, I reiterate that I did not make any anti-francophone comments following our recent game in Montreal. The NHL conducted their own review and found no wrongdoing on my behalf. I am looking forward to being a part of Team Canada again and representing all Canadians, coast to coast, at the 2006 Winter Olympics.''
Doan's agent, J.P Barry suggested a lawsuit might follow.
"I have spoken to Shane today and he is extremely upset and saddened by the wrongful characterizations being made by Mr. Coderre and others. Shane categorically denies ever having made the racial comments that have been wrongfully attributed to him and in fact, the incident has been investigated fully and he has been exonerated. Everyone who knows Shane Doan knows that he is one of the most respectful athletes in the game of hockey and that he would not utter comments of this nature.
"I have made contact today with legal counsel in Montreal on behalf of Shane to obtain the appropriate advice on what our next steps should be to address the ongoing defamation of his character."
Colin Campbell, executive vice-president and director of hockey operations, also criticized Coderre for his letter.
''Mr. Coderre should focus on getting re-elected and not on how we run our business,'' Colin Campbell, executive vice-president and director of hockey operations, told The Canadian Press.
''The NHL manages its business properly and I have discussed this 'alleged' incident with Shane Doan and am fully confident there were no inappropriate comments in this incident. Mr. Coderre is getting involved in something without the correct or any information.
''As a Canadian I have tremendous confidence in Bob Nicholson, Wayne Gretzky and staff to select the appropriate people - good people and bring home another gold medal. Coderre should maybe try contributing in a more positive fashion to our Olympic dreams.''
Campbell also said Coderre did not contact the league to ask about the incident before making his public complaint.
A copy of the letter was sent to Mike Chambers, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, which has final approval of all athletes named to Canada's Olympic team. Chambers said there was no proof Doan made the comments.
"Shane Doan is denying he said what he his alleged to have said," said Chambers. "My understanding is it happened on the ice during a game. Shane Doan's position is was somebody else on the ice who may have said what he is alleged to have said.
"In the very uncertain circumstance of what actually happened, I don't know if one can conclusively decide that this or that happened. I think the jury is still well out on what happened."
Earlier in the day, Mojo Radio 730 in Vancouver reported that the COC expressed its concern over Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi being named to the team but later reported that the COC approved the 23-man roster selected by Hockey Canada, along with the reserve players.
Files from Canadian Press were used for this report.