According to reports, five ice hockey players in Canada were told to turn themselves in to the police due to accusations of sexual assault.
The anonymous players have been given an ambiguous deadline to turn themselves in to London, Ontario, police, according to The Globe and Mail.
Eight athletes, among them those on the nation’s World Junior team, were accused of sexually abusing a woman in 2018. It was reported in May 2022 that Hockey Canada made an undisclosed payment to the woman.
Hockey Canada executives testified before a parliamentary committee earlier in 2022 that the company had covertly compensated 21 complainants of sexual assault for close to C$9 million (US$6.7 million). Regarding the 2018 assault claims, no one has ever faced criminal charges.
Subsequent media revelations disclosed that young athletes nationwide had unintentionally contributed to the payments by way of their Hockey Canada registration fees.
The Globe and Mail has reported that Hockey Canada also neglected to notify parliament about the existence of a second covert fund intended to cover the cost of legal defense against allegations of sexual assault.
The CEO of Hockey Canada and the entire board of directors resigned in October 2022 due to the organization’s failure to respond to accusations of sexual assault.
A report was later ordered by Hockey Canada regarding its handling of the 2018 allegations. Before allegedly telling the players to turn themselves in this week, police reportedly read the document.
Reports of abuse in sports other than hockey have plagued Canadian sports, including gymnastics, soccer, and water polo. water water
According to Kirsty Duncan, a former deputy leader of government in Canada’s House of Commons, abuse in sports is a dirty secret that is only partially known to the public. She made this statement to the Guardian last year.
In the world of sports, sexual assault, abuse, and harassment are complicated and widespread problems. It concerns the assault, mistreatment, and intimidation of athletes by trainers, coaches, and support personnel.