The Colorado Eagles, nearly a week after issuing a public apology to former player Akim Aliu for an incident at a Halloween party in 2011, issued a joint statement with Aliu on Tuesday.
The Eagles, then with the double-A ECHL, apologized for the actions of head equipment manager Tony Deynzer, who was photographed in blackface at a player party in 2011. Deynzer was reportedly in costume as Aliu, who is from Okene, Nigeria.
“As an organization, the discovery of this event deeply saddens us,” the Eagles said Dec. 7. “Although we had no prior knowledge, that doesn’t excuse or diminish the fact that this has hurt a fellow human being.