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NHL Suspends Panthers Executive Douglas Cifu Over Offensive Social Media Post

Cifu remains suspended indefinitely pending a meeting with Commissioner Gary Bettman after apologizing and deleting his social media account.

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Doug Cifu, CEO of Virtu Financial, Inc., speaks during the Piper Sandler Global Exchange and FinTech Conference in New York City, U.S., June 5, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
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Vice Chairman Doug Cifu (right) was suspended by the NHL for comments on his social media site. (Sun Sentinel Staff Photographer Jim Rassol.

Overview

  • Douglas Cifu, vice-chairman and minority owner of the Florida Panthers, was suspended indefinitely by the NHL for referring to Canada as the '51st state' in a social media exchange.
  • The NHL deemed Cifu's comments 'unacceptable and inappropriate' and announced plans for an in-person meeting with Commissioner Gary Bettman to determine further disciplinary action.
  • Following the incident, Cifu deleted his X (formerly Twitter) account and issued a public apology, stating his behavior did not reflect the standards of the Panthers organization.
  • Cifu co-founded Virtu Financial with Panthers majority owner Vincent Viola and has held leadership roles within the organization since its purchase in 2013.
  • The controversy has drawn attention during the Panthers' playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Toronto.