Ex-Red Wings Zamboni driver fired for urinating in drain, says team had scheme to terminate him: report

Al Sobotka was the Detroit Red Wings’ Zamboni driver for 50 seasons, but it all ended almost two years ago.

Sobotka, now 70, was caught urinating in a drain at Little Caesars Arena during a game in 2022.

Two weeks later, the Red Wings fired him.

Sobotka says he suffers from benign prostatic hyperplasia, a condition that makes it difficult to control urination.

Details about his lawsuit against the team have been reported by the Detroit Free Press, and Sobotka is accusing the team of a cover-up in his firing.

Sobotka says Olympia Entertainment, a company owned by Ilitch Holdings, which runs the team, fired him because of his age but used the urinating incident as an excuse to let him go.

He also says the company had an executive who didn’t know anything about him fire him.

Olympia Entertainment maintains Sobotka was let go for “egregious misconduct.”

Sobotka filed his lawsuit against the team in April 2022, claiming he was discriminated against because of his age and disability.

One of Sobotka’s attorneys claimed that management was aware of his medical condition and that Sobotka believed no one was in the building at the time. 

Sobotka texted Chris Ilitch, the CEO of Ilitch Holdings, with one last plea to keep his job after being fired.

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“Chris, I’m sure you heard that I was terminated,” Sobotka texted on Feb. 18, 2022. “I don’t think I deserve it. After 50 seasons of hard work, countless hours, holidays, missing out with the family … I would hope you had it in your heart for another chance.

“I would love to go (out) on my own and retire. I have much respect for you and your family … I’m begging you, this is killing me.”

Ilitch never responded, according to the lawsuit.

Besides steering the Zamboni at Red Wings games, Sobotka was known for removing octopuses thrown to the ice by fans, a Detroit tradition at Olympia Stadium, Joe Louis Arena and now Little Caesars Arena. Fans cheered as he twirled the sea creatures over his head. 

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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