Refs Deny Woman Ice, Check Only Her Clearance

Elli Mylonaf can skate better than most of the men on the Adams House intramural hockey team, so with the encouragement of friends, she volunteered for the team. But Mylonaf's hockey career came to an abrupt end Tuesday night because she didn't have a medical clearance.

"I was warming up for our Tuesday night game against Dunster when this refskates up and asks for my medical clearance. I didn't have one, and he ordered me off the ice," Mylonaf said.

Mylonaf said no one else was asked for a medical clearance on either team, though at least four of the Adams men and "maybe three to four" Dunster men didn't have them. "It burns me up," she added.

Chris E. Dinan '77, an Adams teammate, said yesterday the only reason to get a medical clearance is to check out hockey equipment. He said that people who have their own equipment generally don't bother to get one. Dinan said he and Mylonaf have their own equipment.

"I don't have one," Dinan said. "The refs never ask for it. They wouldn't have asked Elli if she weren't a woman." He estimated that possibly one-third of all intramural hockey players don't have clearances.

Floyd Wilson, Harvard Director of Intramural Athletics, said yesterday there are no rules specifically prohibiting women from playing contact sports such as hockey.

"She's welcome to play, as long as she gets the clearance," Wilson said. He added that other women had played hockey in the past, but gave no names.

Mylonaf has affirmed her determination to play. "I'm going to get the medical clearance tomorrow," she said yesterday. She added she expects to play Thursday night.

Mylonaf said everyone on the Adams team was going to pick up a medical clearance. "The men figure the refs will check a little closer now," she said.