The Okotoks Bisons involved in the incident Saturday, June 16 at the Okotoks parade are telling their side of the story.

Team Sponsor, Rick McLean, who owns and was driving the float set to go into the parade, admits some of the players were drinking beer and had been all night as they celebrated the end of their hockey careers.

He says bylaw officers were aware the boys had beer, but told McLean as long as it stayed hidden it wasn't a problem.

That was until some beer got sprayed prior to the parade.

"One of the boys sprayed his beer, not on people, out on the road and he (bylaw officer) got very upset and detained that young guy. Threw him in the back of the cop car and eventually gave him a ticket for drinking in public, or I'm not sure what the ticket was. Then the RC's (RCMP) came, made the boys dump out their beer and then they escorted us out from the parade."

McLean says it's a case of boys being boys.

"They're young boys and they were very excited, their hockey career's, to a lot of them, is done. And they just wanted to be a part of the Bisons. Like they say "Once a Bison, Always a Bison." And they were excited to be with the boys. Should they have been drinking and kept going? Probably not. But, they're young men and they were very happy and excited to be in the parade."

He says no one was arrested, but one former player did get a ticket for drinking in public.

Bisons General Manager Brent Trevors says any of the players involved in the incident, won't be invited back to play for the Bisons next season.

But he's quick to add the players that were there, but weren't involved, are welcome back when the season starts in the Fall.

 

Read More: Bisons Embarrassed After Parade Incident Leads To Arrest

 

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