Florida Panthers vice chairman and alternate governor Doug Cifu was suspended indefinitely Monday from any involvement with the team or the league in response to vulgar comments on his now-shuttered social media account.
The NHL made the disciplinary decision after Cifu got into a public exchange with a Toronto fan on Sunday night across X, formerly known as Twitter.
AP reports a fan started the to-and-fro by comparing hits by Florida players in this ongoing series against the Maple Leafs to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Leafs fan appeared to accuse Israel of “using starvation as a weapon to win a war” against Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.
A post on Cifu’s account in response to the Toronto fan delivered the epithets in reply.
“Eat s*** 51st state anti-semite loser. Israel now and forever. Until ever (sic) last Hamas rat is eliminated,” Cifu reportedly responded, referring to President Donald Trump’s jests about making Canada the 51st state.
The offending post – apparently made on Sunday, as the Panthers evened the series at 2-2 with a 2-0 win over the Leafs – was among others deleted soon after, and the account has since been suspended, the AP story notes.
“The NHL has concluded that Mr. Cifu’s X posts were unacceptable and inappropriate,” the league said in a statement.
“As a result, Mr. Cifu has been suspended indefinitely from any involvement with the Club and the NHL.”
The suspension was first reported by the Toronto Sun.
Cifu now faces an in-person meeting with Commissioner Gary Bettman at a time and place to be determined.
“My behavior does not reflect the standards of the Florida Panthers organization and the Viola family,” Cifu said in a statement to Florida Hockey Now. “I sincerely apologize to all those affected by my comments. I am committed to working with the NHL to amend my actions.”
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