Vancouver Island Basketball Team Boycotts Games Over Alleged Anti-Trans Abuse

The team cites safety concerns for their transgender teammate, alleging verbal and physical mistreatment by Columbia Bible College's coach and players.

Vancouver Island University's women's basketball team has forfeited two games against Columbia Bible College, claiming their transgender teammate faced harassment and unsafe conditions during prior matches.
The allegations include verbal abuse by CBC coach Taylor Claggett, who reportedly criticized the inclusion of a trans athlete, and physical targeting of the player during an October game.
Harriette Mackenzie, the trans athlete at the center of the controversy, leads her team in points, rebounds, and blocks, and has filed a formal complaint with the PACWEST athletic conference.
Columbia Bible College denies the allegations, asserting their commitment to safe play and supporting their coach's concerns about fairness and safety in women's sports.
The Pacific Western Athletic Association has not yet taken disciplinary action, and an investigation into the incidents is ongoing as VIU calls for stronger protections and zero-tolerance policies.