A Quebec politician says Instagram insults against Canadian world junior hockey team captain Maxime Comtois are B次元官网网址漚nti-francophone racism.B次元官网网址�

Parti Quebecois interim leader Pascal Berube used Twitter to share his feelings after Comtois was hit hard with criticism after missing on a penalty shot during overtime in a 2-1 loss to Finland in the world junior championship quarterfinals Wednesday.

Several comments pointed out that the 19-year-old Comtois, a native of Longueuil, Que., is French.

Commenting was disabled on recent pictures overnight, but some comments still remained Thursday morning.

Instagram user @snacc_hyman wrote B次元官网网址淭he captain of the Canadian hockey team shouldnB次元官网网址檛 dive like an Italian soccer player and come up with such a pathetic attempt on an overtime penalty shot.B次元官网网址�

After the barrage of criticism, several users posted messages of support for Comtois.

User @lordstanleypff wrote B次元官网网址淗e doesnB次元官网网址檛 deserve the hate or anything negative. HeB次元官网网址檚 a junior for GodB次元官网网址檚 sake. He did everything to represent HIS country.B次元官网网址�

The Roy Sports Group, which represents Comtois, put out a statement on Thursday afternoon.

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B次元官网网址淚t is shameful and incomprehensible that a few cowards who can hide behind social media could make such vicious attacks on these young menB次元官网网址檚 character after they have battled their hearts out for their country,B次元官网网址� the statement reads.

B次元官网网址淲e will make this one and only statement on this subject, so not to validate anymore the cowardly comments made on social media. It was MaximeB次元官网网址檚 idea to use this as a learning moment for all of the youth of Canada, that cyber bullying is a real problem, and like all bullies, we all need to stand up to them and call them out for what they are. Thank you for shedding a spotlight on a major problem in our society.B次元官网网址�

Hockey Canada CEO Tom Renney said the organization trusts playersB次元官网网址� judgment when it comes to social media.

B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day, we support how they feel about it and how they chose to depict what it is they wish to chronicle,B次元官网网址� he said Thursday.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a method by which you can protect yourself and each other by that. At the same time, we understand this is a day and age where you can communicate quickly through social media. We just want to make sure everyone shows good judgment.B次元官网网址�

WATCH: CanadaB次元官网网址檚 world junior elimination is B次元官网网址榯ough:B次元官网网址� Coach

After Wednesday nightB次元官网网址檚 game, the Canadian players were given time to visit with their families before they went back to the hotel for pizza and ping pong, Renney said.

Hockey Canada did not contact law enforcement about the comments, he added.

Head coach Tim Hunter picked Comtois to take the penalty shot. Finnish goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stretched his right pad to block the low shot.

B次元官网网址淚 was thinking to score and I didnB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� Comtois said. B次元官网网址淚 was going with my move and trying to shoot. ItB次元官网网址檚 not the first one that I missed and itB次元官网网址檚 not going to be the last one. It has to hurt, but if I get one more chance later in my career, I have to be ready and dig in to get it in.

B次元官网网址淲e had a couple guys practising this type of situation in practice. I was one of them. It could have been anyone on the team. I was confident with my move and it didnB次元官网网址檛 work.B次元官网网址�

The loss for Canada means the country will not play for a world junior medal for only the second time in 21 years.

The Canadian Press