Hockey players who don’t wear their base layer to the arena will have to put it on in a washroom stall at the rink. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)
Robinson outlined the new policy in a letter sent to parents of Halifax Hawks players last week.
The new policy affects all minor hockey players from the youngest level right up to the under-18 age division.
“This isn’t just about gender, it’s about everyone being comfortable,” said Robinson. “Coaches can’t always visually identify and automatically know what gender someone identifies with, so this just allows everybody to fit into that dressing room.”
Robinson admits there has been some pushback from parents to the Hockey Canada change. He says they have legitimate hygiene concerns when it comes to sweaty and smelly under gear being worn to and from the rink. But he says it is a small price to pay to make sure that hockey is inclusive for everybody.