Jonny Chard (News Editor) and Victoria Goldberg (Editor-in-Chief)
Featured image: Paul James is a former Olympic athlete and Lions coach. | Courtesy of Michael Creagan for Canadian Press
Since March 15, former York soccer coach Paul James has been on a hunger strike to protest his treatment by York administration.
After serving as head coach for almost six years, James resigned from his position in 2009.
James asserts that he was discriminated against and bullied into the resignation due to him revealing his mental health problems, including a substance addiction problem.
James claims that his treatment violated his rights under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which prohibits discrimination due to mental disability, among others.
“The goal of the hunger strike is to achieve justice for myself and, by association, millions of other Canadian citizens, including all York faculty, students and alumni,” he said in an email interview.
This being his third hunger strike, James sees this as a last resort after his numerous filings against York.
“I made my choice to take this extreme method of protest because I have no other avenue of seeking fair access to social justice,” he says.
James filed an application with the Human Rights Tribunal for discrimination based upon his mental health, but the claim was denied, reportedly because the application was not completed within the one-year time limit, a delay which he attributes to his condition.
James then took his case to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, who again dismissed the case, claiming that regardless of James’ condition, he “did not put his best foot forward” in approaching the tribunal.
The court documents read that although James may have proved that he has a disability, he failed to prove that the delay in filing a claim resulted from that disability.
“Each day it gets more challenging physically and psychologically,” says James.
“It is also humiliating to look at yourself in the mirror so emaciated and thin.”
James has been on hunger strike for 168 hours as of March 21, and has received support from Richard Bucciarelli, president of Soccer Fitness and former York Lion. James was Bucciarelli’s coach during his last season in 2004.
“For me, he was a very inspirational guy. He was an intense competitor. He was very disciplined. He was very motivational for me. It was my pleasure to be able to play for him,” says Bucciarelli. He adds that he was not aware of James’ condition during their time together.
“I’m very disappointed and upset at the way York handled this situation,” he says.
“It is not the practice of York to discuss employment matters, which are confidential. We can confirm that Mr. James was employed as a Master Soccer Coach from October 15, 2003 until the date of his resignation on December 31, 2009,” says Barbara Joy of York media.
According to an excerpt from a Memorandum of Argument sent to the Supreme Court of Canada, James opened up about his poor mental health in 2008 to Jennifer Myers, current executive director of athletics and recreation at York Lions. She granted James his requested three-month leave of absence, but mentioned that they would require a doctor’s note.
After submitting the requested documents in late February of 2009, James entered rehab for his substance abuse. During this time, he reports to have received continued mistreatment and discrimination from his management due to York personnel knowing of his mental health condition.
In the fall of 2009, just two weeks after telling Myers and York that he was in need of help and support, not harassment, the director of athletics and recreation requested James formalize his resignation.
James hopes the Canadian Soccer Association will offer their support for his rejected human rights discrimination claim against York at the Supreme Court of Canada.
“Alternatively, they could open discussions with York to reverse the injustice and repair the extraordinary damage which has been delivered to me,” adds James in an email interview.
The three-time Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee and media commentator played for Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and the 1986 FIFA World Cup before joining York in fall of 2003 as head soccer coach.
After leading the Lions to six divisional and four provincial titles, he led them to the national championship title in 2008 for the first time in 31 years.
He was awarded six coach of the year awards in different leagues, as well as the national women’s soccer coach of the year in 2007.
James has written an official letter to President Shoukri detailing his case, which is available on his website, confrontingthestigmaofdrugaddiction.com
With files from Matt Dionne and Hassam Munir.
