Sports Hall of Fame to meet following alleged transphobic incident in involving inductee

A sports hall of fame in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan will meet next week to discuss the future of one of its inductees who was involved in a high-profile incident in Kelowna that has captured national attention.

Josef Tesar was watching a grandchild compete at an elementary school track meet at the Apple Bowl June 8, when he allegedly approached a competitor who had short hair and asked to see proof that they were a girl. He questioned whether they were transgender and suggested they did not belong in a girls’ track event.

Tesar’s wife was also there and it’s alleged she called the girls’ parents ‘groomers’ and ‘genital mutilators.’ The girl is not transgender.

Tesar has now been banned from attending events in the Central Okanagan School District. The district confirmed to paNOW that they got word of the incident and worked with other schools at the track meet to identify Tesar and his wife before formally banning them from any district property or events.

“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, which includes protecting human rights and ensuring safe, inclusive places to learn and work,” the district’s superintendent said in a statement. “Central Okanagan Public Schools work to create caring learning communities. We expect that adults who are invited to celebrate student success govern their behaviour and conduct themselves with the civility and respect we expect from students.”

Tesar was inducted into Prince Albert’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He moved to P.A. from his native country of Czechoslovakia in 1980. He took up the sport of Greco-Roman wrestling and over the years participated in many competitions, including international championships and the 1984 Olympics.

Tesar was also a well-known Prince Albert businessman who previously owned a hotel in the city.

The President of the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame, Ellen Grewcock, told paNOW that the board will meet on Monday to discuss this incident, saying there is a policy in their constitution regarding cases of misconduct for inductees.

In a Facebook post, Kari Starr, one of the girl’s mothers shared her outrage on the incident.

“Josef Tesar, you and your wife should be ashamed of yourselves! And your poor granddaughter who you were there to support – you brought complete embarrassment to her as well, to be associated to your ignorance in any capacity,” she said in the post. “While my wish would be for you to apologize for the trauma you caused my most precious human, you are ignorant of the power of your words and how they might have hurt anyone. I pray that Karma is the judge in this horrifying moment.”

In an interview with Kelowna media site Castanet, Tesar denied the allegations, saying he asked an official if the event was co-ed as he believed a boy was competing. He admitted he did say something inappropriate but did not ask to prove the child’s gender.

He did not issue an apology, only saying he had the right to ask the question.

Kelowna RCMP told paNOW there is an active file on the incident, and they continue to investigate. Due to privacy concerns, RCMP said they won’t be releasing any more information.