2024-01-25 09:00:00
Police in London, Ontario have summoned five members of the 2018 Canadian junior hockey team to report to face sexual assault charges, the police said Wednesday. Globe and Mailciting anonymous sources.
The event would be linked to a case of alleged gang rape, which allegedly occurred in a hotel room in June 2018 after a gala marking the winning of gold that year at the world juniors.
According to the daily, the players, who are not named and against whom no charges have yet been brought, would benefit from a certain period to surrender.
Contacted by Radio-Canada, the London Police did not confirm the news. We are unable to provide an update at this time, she responded by email. When there is more information to share about this investigation, we will be in contact with the media.
The London Police later announced that they would hold a press conference on this subject on February 5.
As a legislator, I also want to be careful, there is a risk of being taken to court. For me, the importance of all this is that we are able to move on, that we reach the end of [cette affaire]. And if a serious mistake has been committed, then those who made it, let them pay dearly, mentioned at a press briefing the spokesperson for the Liberal Party of Quebec in matters of sports, leisure and healthy habits. life, Enrico Ciccone.
It is certain that the organization has been tainted for several years. We have learned over time that there are many things that have been hidden. There has been a loss of confidence in the sporting environment. It’s not just Hockey Canada, we’ve been around too. We realized that there were also other situations like that where we were trying to protect the logo, the image of the organization before the well-being of a human being. For me, this is unacceptable, he added.
They are no different from any citizen. You commit a mistake, you must face justice.
For me, sport is still in crisis, declared Sébastien Lemire, Bloc Québécois MP in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue riding and party spokesperson for Sport. We expected that there would be consequences and that there would be criminal charges, it was necessary to do it, but the fact remains that sport is still in crisis.
He notably mentioned the scandals that have affected many other sports federations in recent years. I think that makes an independent public inquiry just as relevant, and even more so, than ever,” he said.
3:03
In Sherbrooke where the members of the Coalition Avenir Québec are meeting in caucus, the minister responsible for Sports, Leisure and Outdoors, Isabelle Charest, estimated that the latest developments are rather positive.
It demonstrates that no one is above the law. To see that, even if they are well-known names, they will be called to answer for their actions. For me, this is good news today. Obviously, we will follow the file and what will come out of this information, she said.
Last November, Hockey Canada announced that the findings of the investigation into the sexual assault allegations were disputed. The national federation indicated at the time that an appeal process, by videoconference, would take place in the near future.
Hockey Canada mentioned that an independent arbitration tribunal received, in November 2022, the final investigation report from Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP.
The tribunal in question was mandated to hold a hearing to determine whether certain 2018 ECJ players had violated Hockey Canada’s code of conduct and, if so, what sanctions should be imposed.
Hockey Canada added that the tribunal provided its final report to all parties involved, but shortly after, a notice of appeal was filed, which is permitted under the investigation and adjudication procedures of the national body.
All color wearers from the 2018 edition of ECJ remain suspended by Hockey Canada and are currently ineligible as players, coaches, officials or volunteers in programs sanctioned by the organization.
A behind-the-scenes story
The alleged victim filed a $3.35 million lawsuit in April 2022 against Hockey Canada. The matter was quickly settled amicably by the national body.
Subsequent revelations about an account used to handle this type of business at Hockey Canada, funded with minor hockey dues, led to an outcry against the national organization.
Parliamentary hearings have called into question governance and transparency at Hockey Canada.
Leaders of the organization testified before parliamentarians in June 2022, after strongly encouraging, but not requiring, the 19 players present at the gala in London to speak with independent investigators.
Hockey Canada President and CEO Scott Smith then left his position in October 2022, the same day the entire board resigned.
London Police closed a previous investigation in February 2019 without laying charges, but reopened this investigation in July 2022.
An investigator wrote in court documents filed in an Ontario court in December 2022 that there was reason to believe a woman was sexually assaulted by five national team players.
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With information from The Canadian Press
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