Five members of the gold medal-winning 2018 Canada Hockey Players may face accusations of sexual assault, in a surprising development, according to reporting from The Globe and Mail. The players have been told to turn themselves in by the London, Ontario police in relation to an alleged June 2018 group sexual assault, even though they are not yet identified or prosecuted.
Reports on Sexual Assault By 2018 Canada Hockey Players
According to reports, the incident happened after a Hockey Canada banquet in London, which was organized to commemorate the team’s triumph in Buffalo six months prior. The details behind the charges are unsettling; the claimed victim filed a civil complaint, which Hockey Canada quietly resolved for a sizable sum, causing a major upheaval in the company.
In 2019, London Police opened an investigation into the matter but ended it without filing any charges. The five players are still facing charges as a result of the investigation being reopened in 2022 because to increased public interest. The situation has also prompted an investigation by the National Hockey League (NHL), the outcome of which will determine any possible repercussions.
The NHL Players’ Association has stated that it will address the matter after the London Police Service files formal charges. The police have not yet revealed when the players must turn themselves in, stressing that they would not be providing any more information at this time.
The matter became much more controversial after it was discovered that Hockey Canada had given the purported victim a sizable payment. This revelation’s impact resulted in heightened scrutiny, which in turn prompted a thorough reorganization of Hockey Canada’s leadership.
The public outcry against London Police’s 2019 case closing led to a reexamination of the inquiry in 2022. There are good reasons to believe that the five players of Canada’s 2018 World Junior squad may have broken the law, according to the police report.
Unsettling details of what happened have emerged from the police report, including claims that an older guy accompanied the players and encouraged inappropriate behavior. The victim made it clear that she was uncomfortable, but the players allegedly didn’t stop.
The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage focused most of its investigation on Hockey Canada’s handling of these occurrences on the $3.55 million settlement the organization paid the victim. Following the investigation that uncovered a pattern of payouts, important members of Hockey Canada resigned, and the board of directors was completely reorganized.
Even while the accusations are serious, it’s crucial to remember that no charges have been filed as of yet, and the claims have not been proven in court. The case’s developing events highlight more general problems in the sports world and the pressing necessity for open, responsible processes to deal with such grave accusations.
