The trouble began in October when the Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association suspended a player after he made a formal complaint against his coach. (Kevin Light/CBC Sports)

A situation involving a bantam player and his coach has snowballed into a major mess for the Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association (GVMHA) and BC Hockey, its governing body.

Two high-ranking GVMHA officials have resigned, along with the bantam tier-2 team's coaching staff and manager. The team has also been suspended for the time being.

And all 40 GVMHA teams were almost pulled off the ice, too — they were all suspended from play — until that decision was rescinded by BC Hockey on Monday night.

"We tried our best to give [the GVMHA] guidance instead of dictate punishment," said Barry Petrachenko, BC Hockey's executive director. "[But] they weren't taking the direction that we were giving. We really had no choice."

It all stemmed from an October complaint lodged to the GVMHA by a player on its bantam tier-2 team. His parents later alleged to the Vernon Morning Star newspaper that their son was being emotionally and verbally abused by the coach, and they wanted him removed from his position.

Both the GVMHA and BC Hockey have since cleared the coach of any wrongdoing.

After the complaint in October, the GVMHA asked the player not to attend practices and games until the issue was resolved. And that's when the problem started.

"That's clearly contrary to Hockey Canada policies," said Petrachenko, who says that a player who comes forward with a complaint should not have action taken against him or her.

"That policy is very important," said Petrachenko, because BC Hockey wants to make sure players feel safe to come forward with complaints, even if they turn out to be unfounded.

BC hockey told the GVMHA to reinstate the player in November, but they resisted the order, according to a report by the Morning Star . In mid-December, BC Hockey suspended the entire association, and the GVMHA immediately put the player back on the ice.

But that same player was suspended again last week, the paper said, for an undisclosed reason, which is also against Hockey Canada policy. That's when the issue came to a head. BC Hockey suspended the entire GVMHA group of teams and two high-ranking executives.

"It wasn't something we wanted to do," said Petrachenko, "[but] we were prepared to take that step if we had to."

Claims against coach 'were unfounded': GVMHA

The investigation into the most recent suspension is still ongoing.

The GVMHA said they would release a statement on the issue after BC Hockey is done examining the latest incident.

But they were willing to say that they stand by their coach.

"The claims against him were unfounded," said Jonathan Miller, acting president of the GVMHA.

'The whole thing has quashed my desire to coach'

It's left the former coach of the bantam tier-2 team with a very sour taste in his mouth. He's been involved with coaching minor hockey for 12 years, and now he's questioning whether he wants to get back into hockey at all.

"There have been so many untruths told; that's about all I can say," he told the Morning Star. The paper withheld the names of the people involved.

"The whole thing has quashed my desire to coach, and I think it's quashed quite a few people's desire to coach minor hockey."

Acting GVMHA president Miller said he expects BC Hockey will decide the fate of the suspended team's season in the next day or so, after their investigation is completed.

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