On June 22, Greg Torrance, former head coach of the Sault Steelers football team and now facing domestic violence charges, pleaded guilty in court to assault, criminal harassment, and uttering threats. The incident has sparked criticism from victim advocacy group End Violence Everywhere (EVE), which is urging the Ontario Power 5 Football League to address the situation transparently.
Torrance's plea comes after he was originally charged with six additional offenses including multiple counts of assault and theft of a motor vehicle, all in relation to a domestic violence case. The agreed statement of facts released by the court reveals that Torrance engaged in physical altercations with his victim during mutual arguments, resulting in injuries such as neck damage sustained when Torrance escalated the conflict.
In addition to physical assaults, text messages obtained from public documents show repeated threats and harassment directed at the victim. One message read: "Do u understand how f**king dead u are ?? And not even by just me." The court also included a photograph of injuries suffered by the victim as part of the agreed statement of facts.
Despite these serious charges, the Ontario Power 5 Football League has maintained silence on the matter since Torrance's guilty plea was made public. Barry Rushon, president of the league, declined to comment when contacted by SooToday in May regarding the case involving one of its coaches. This stance has drawn criticism from EVE founder Cait Alexander, who sent a letter urging the league to take responsibility and address intimate partner violence transparently.
"EVE is deeply concerned about the lack of response," said Alexander. "Removing an individual’s profile from a website is not accountability. Silence is not leadership." She emphasized that coaches are leaders within their communities and should set positive examples, especially when dealing with issues like domestic violence. Alexander noted that other leagues such as the NFL and CFL have established policies regarding intimate partner violence but called on local organizations to establish clear expectations and education measures for their members.
The Ontario Power 5 Football League includes five teams: Sault Steelers, Sarnia Imperials, Tri City Outlaws, Sudbury Spartans, and Burlington Longhorns. While the league has yet to issue a public statement regarding Torrance's guilty plea or express support for survivors of domestic violence within their organization, EVE continues to push for transparency and accountability in addressing such serious criminal behavior among its members.
In light of these developments, community advocates are calling on sports organizations across Canada to take proactive steps towards preventing intimate partner violence and ensuring that all incidents involving abuse or harassment receive appropriate attention and action.