Five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team have been ordered to surrender to London police to face sexual assault charges, according to a report by the Globe and Mail. The pending charges stem from an alleged group sexual assault on a woman in a London hotel room in June 2018, following a Hockey Canada fundraising gala.
The accused individuals, who have not been named, were given a timeline to turn themselves in, as reported by two unnamed sources familiar with the investigation. London police have not yet responded to requests for comments.
These accusations came to light in May 2022 when TSN reported on the complainant’s out-of-court settlement in a $3.5-million lawsuit against Hockey Canada. The woman, identified as E.M. in court documents, claimed that eight players, including members of the gold medal-winning 2018 world junior team, assaulted her after meeting at a bar in June 2018.
The lawsuit alleges that the players bought the woman drinks, causing her to become intoxicated, and engaged in consensual acts initially. However, the situation escalated when other players were invited into the room without her consent, leading to several hours of sexual assault. The lawsuit details disturbing acts, including intercourse and other sexual acts, along with physical abuse.
Moreover, the lawsuit accuses Hockey Canada of negligence, claiming the organization ignored institutionalized and systematic abuse within its ranks, perpetuating a toxic environment that condones violent and sexual conduct.
London police were initially notified within a day of the incident, leading to an investigation and a physical examination of the victim. However, charges were not filed until now.
The controversy resurfaced in July 2022 when London police announced the reopening of the investigation. Subsequently, court documents filed in December 2022 revealed that the police had reasonable grounds to believe the five members of the 2018 world junior team committed sexual assault.
The legal proceedings involve obtaining search warrants to access the hotel room and retrieve potential evidence, including text conversations stored on thumb drives. Production orders have also been issued to Uber and Henein Hutchison law firm for information related to the case.
In the wake of these developments, five members from the 2018 world junior team have been granted leaves of absences from their respective teams. Notably, former London Knight Alex Formenton, now playing for the Swiss hockey club Ambri-Piotta, was granted an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons.
This news follows other players’ leaves of absence, including Carter Hart, the goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers, and Dillon Dube, a forward for the Calgary Flames. Both players cited personal reasons for their absences, with Dube specifically mentioned to be attending to his mental health.
The New Jersey Devils also announced that forwards Michael McLeod and Cal Foote have requested and been granted indefinite leaves of absence from the team.
As these legal proceedings unfold, the hockey community is left grappling with the serious allegations against these players, raising questions about the responsibility of organizations like Hockey Canada in ensuring the safety and well-being of their athletes.