Josef Tesar and his wife at the track meet where the alleged incident took place in Kelowna. (Kari Starr/Facebook)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Transphobic Incident

P.A. Sports Hall of Fame waiting to make decision for inductee allegedly involved in transphobic incident

Jun 20, 2023 | 11:17 AM

The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame wants more information before deciding what to do with an inductee who allegedly took part in a transphobic incident.

Last week in Kelowna, B.C., Josef Tesar was watching a grandchild compete at an elementary school track meet when he reportedly approached a girl who had short hair and asked to see proof of her gender.

He questioned whether the girl was transgender, which she is not, and suggested she did not belong in a girls’ track event. Tesar’s wife was also there, and it’s alleged she called the girls’ parents ‘groomers’ and ‘genital mutilators’.

While the incident happened two provinces over, news of the case made its way back to P.A. as Tesar used to live in the city and was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 1996 for his wrestling career.

In response, the P.A. Sports Hall of Fame held a meeting on Monday to discuss the circumstances as there’s a policy in their constitution regarding cases of misconduct for inductees.

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In the end, no decision was made.

“In consideration of news reports regarding one of our inductees, the Board of Directors of the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame will await all relevant facts once available from the pending investigations,” read a statement from the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame said they will not provide further comment at this time.

Meanwhile, Tesar and his wife have already been banned from any Central Okanagan School Division properties or events.

Tesar denied the allegations, saying he never yelled at the girls and talked to an official in private about whether it was a co-ed event.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow