Hockey Canada Writes Open Letter to Canadians After Scandal and Clampdown on Eight Players
Hockey Canada will reopen an independent investigation into sexual assault allegations involving members of the 2018 World Junior Team, it announced Thursday in an open letter that promised changes.
"Reopening the investigation is a first step in response to the disappointment of many people with the outcome of the process we followed."
Hockey Canada encouraged players to participate in the previous investigation, but not all did. Players must cooperate with the new investigation or they will face immediate bans from participation in all Hockey Canada-related events.
Once the investigation is complete, the matter will be referred to a panel of independent judges who will determine the consequences, which may include a lifetime ban from Hockey Canada.
The governing body also announced mandatory sexual violence training for all players, coaches, team staff and senior volunteers. Hockey Canada will also undergo a comprehensive governance review and create a new confidential complaint mechanism.
The alleged assault occurred at a Hockey Canada sanctioned event in London, Ontario. None of the eight players involved have been conclusively identified. A lawsuit was filed in April 2022 and settled the following month before reaching court.
| POLL | ||
Do you think the names of the eight players involved in the Hockey Canada scandal should be made public? | ||
| Yes, make it public | 286 | 81.7 % |
| No, keep it private | 64 | 18.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
