CALGARY, Alberta - Today, the London Police Service announced serious criminal charges against five former National Junior Team players pertaining to an alleged sexual assault in 2018.

Hockey Canada has cooperated fully with the London Police Service throughout its investigation and we are committed to continuing to support the legal process.

In November 2023, it was announced that a notice of appeal was filed in response to the final adjudicative report by an independent panel that held a hearing with a view to determine whether certain members of the 2018 National Junior Team breached Hockey Canada’s code of conduct, and if so, what sanctions should be imposed against those players.

Pending the completion of the appeal process, all players from the 2018 National Junior Team remain suspended by Hockey Canada, and are ineligible to play, coach, officiate or volunteer with Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.

The appeal process remains ongoing and out of respect for it and the legal process, we are unable to comment further at this time.

“Hockey Canada recognizes that in the past we have been too slow to act and that in order to deliver the meaningful change that Canadians expect of us, we must work diligently and urgently to ensure that we are putting in place the necessary measures to regain their trust, and provide all participants with a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment on and off the ice,” said Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada.

Since last year, Hockey Canada has implemented significant measures to improve the culture of the sport and the safety of participants, including:

• Requiring all national team athletes, coaches and staff to undergo a mandatory enhanced screening process, and complete training on sexual violence and consent
• Adopting the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport
• Becoming a full signatory to Abuse-Free Sport and the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC)
• Establishing an Independent Third Party for any hockey-related maltreatment complaints against anyone affiliated with Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs who fall outside of OSIC’s jurisdiction
• Hosting the first Beyond the Boards Summit, which was led by external subject-matter experts to help establish a roadmap to change the culture of the game at all levels
• Implementing recommendations from an independent governance review led by the Hon. Thomas Cromwell, C.C.
• Publishing an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Path Forward, which includes a Commitment to Action statement that summarizes our ongoing work to drive long-term, sustainable change within the hockey ecosystem in Canada.

We are committed to being transparent and accountable to Canadians as we drive these important changes forward and empower victims of maltreatment to feel comfortable to bring forward their complaints in a process that is victim-centred and trauma-informed.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.