Manchester Monarchs player Petr Kanko was arrested this week for a domestic assault involving his wife. In an Associated Press report the Monarchs organization is quoted as saying this incident is a private matter. As advocates against domestic violence, we believe that any allegation of domestic violence must be taken seriously and that employers need to have policies and protocols in place to address these situations within the workplace.

We understand that the Monarchs would like to handle this internally however the Coalition feels there are several actions they should take: (1) make a clear statement that the organization does not tolerate domestic violence by any member; (2) be transparent about the Monarchs current workplace guidelines regarding domestic violence, and consistency in following them. It needs to be made clear that a player’s performance does not have any bearing on tolerance for domestic violence.

The national model guidelines for workplace policies regarding domestic violence outlines an array of disciplinary actions, including suspension of duties (with or without pay) or dismissal if there is a judicial determination of probable cause. These guidelines do not call for precipitous action, nor do we. Until this case is resolved in the court system, we urge the Monarchs to take the opportunity to assure fans and the public that the organization is taking these allegations seriously and will take appropriate action if evidence is shown that domestic violence was perpetrated by any of their players.