Noémie Léger

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

A youth hockey coach in the Hudson-Rigaud-St-Lazare region has been suspended after allegedly telling young players, including 10-year-olds, to inhale ammonia salts in the team locker room without parental consent. The allegations have sparked outrage in the local hockey community.

“To you, the coach who made my 10-year-old son inhale ammonia… you who disrespected him and essentially drugged him,” wrote Noémie Léger in a scathing social media post. “You who violated his integrity, his passion for hockey, and his trust.” Léger, who is also a teacher, scolded the coach on her post for “abusing” his position of authority.

The coach, Matt Bruno, allegedly administered ammonia salts, commonly known as smelling salts, to the majority of his Atom AA team players behind closed doors. After discovering the practice, Léger filed formal complaints with Hockey Quebec and the Lac St-Louis Minor Hockey Association.

Medical experts warn that smelling salts can cause respiratory reactions, vomiting, and in severe cases, seizures. The practice is particularly concerning in youth sports, where young athletes may feel pressured to comply with authority figures.

While the Quebec Provincial Police (SQ) has decided not to pursue a criminal investigation, Hockey Quebec is expected to release an official statement banning the substance in minor hockey. The organization has already removed Bruno from his coaching position, and additional disciplinary actions have been taken against other team staff members who were aware of the practice.

“You don’t deserve to be behind the bench,” Léger concluded in her letter, which has since garnered significant attention from concerned parents and hockey officials across the region.

The incident has sparked a broader discussion about player safety and consent in youth sports, with many calling for stricter oversight of coaching practices and clearer guidelines about prohibited substances in minor hockey. n