Vancouver Rioter Outed As Junior National Water Polo Player

Vancouver Rioter Outed As Junior National Water Polo Player. You’re going to see plenty of stories like this in the next few days, one would imagine, as police comb through photos and video of those involved in the Vancouver hockey riot. One of the first rioters to turn himself in to police will be Nathan Kotylak, 17, shown here apparently lighting a police car on fire, and with his water polo teammates in the inset.Kotylak, the “son of a highly-respected surgeon” according to CBC News, was outed by several people who recognized the star athlete from this notorious video which has become one of the most seen images of the riot. The private school senior plays on Canada’s junior national water polo team and lives in Maple Ridge, a wealthy suburb of Vancouver. He has a partial scholarship to play water polo at the University of Calgary next year. His father says he wants to major in kinesiology and one day play in the Olympics, according to CBC.



The teen’s father, a surgeon in B.C., told CBC News on Friday that the Grade 12 student will be “doing the right thing” by turning himself in.

He added that he wishes that his older son had been there that night to look out for his 17-year-old.

Canada, and indeed a lot of the word, is not amused. There’s already a Facebook site entitled “Nathan Kotylak go to Jail, Do not Pass Go,” which has more than 1,500 followers as of this writing. Sample posts:

If he did this on a plane he would be a terrorist. Is there any difference here????

This kid is out of control…maybe Dad and Mom should do some serious thinking about the reality this kid will be facing in the real work.

Water Polo Canada suspended Kotylak earlier today, although not naming him officially in its statement.

Water Polo Canada today issued a provisional suspension against a member of its Junior Men’s National Team who is facing allegations of vandalism stemming from Wednesday night’s riot in Vancouver.

By law, the athlete cannot be named because he is under 18 years of age.

“We’re taking immediate action due to the very serious nature of these allegations,” said Ahmed El-Awadi, Executive Director of Water Polo Canada. “I can also confirm that the athlete has contacted us, through his legal counsel, to indicate that he will cooperate fully with the disciplinary process.”