Police apologize for delay in charging players with sexual assault

 

[February 06, 2024]  By Frank Pingue

(Reuters) - Police in the Canadian city of London, Ontario, apologised on Monday to the woman at the centre of an alleged group sexual assault for the length of time it took to file charges against four NHL players and one from a Swiss pro league.

The charges are related to an alleged incident in June 2018 following a Hockey Canada gala in London where the players, who were teammates on Canada's gold medal-winning world junior hockey team that year, were being honored.

A police investigation into the alleged incident was closed without charges in February 2019 but investigators reopened it in July 2022 in response to public outrage after news that Hockey Canada paid an undisclosed settlement to the woman.

"I am apologizing to the victim and to her family because it's taken this long," London Police Chief Thai Truong, speaking to the public for the first time since the charges were filed last week, told a news conference.

"This should not take this long. It shouldn't take years and years for us to arrive to the outcome of today."

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart, Mike McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils and Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames were charged, as was former NHLer Alex Formenton, who now plays for HC Ambri-Piotta of Switzerland's National League.

Each of the players took a leave of absence from their teams prior to the charges being laid and each of their lawyers have since issued statements to say their clients will defend themselves against the allegations.

Detective Sergeant Katherine Dann of the London Police read a statement during Monday's press conference that was authored by Karen Bellehumeur, who is the legal representative for the complainant.

"It takes an incredible amount of courage for any survivor of sexual assault to report to the police and participate in the criminal justice system," said the statement read by Dann.

"That is certainly true for (my client), yet she remains committed to see this process through."

London Chief of Police Thai Truong attends a press conference as five Canadian professional hockey players face charges stemming from an alleged sexual assault dating to the time they were members of the country's 2018 world junior team, in London, Ontario, Canada February 5, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio

Earlier on Monday, attorneys representing the players took part in a procedural video hearing. None of the five players appeared. The next hearing in the case is April 30.

The scandal prompted the Canadian federal government to freeze Hockey Canada's funding for 10 months while a number of major companies either paused or canceled their sponsorships with the national governing body.

Amid the scandal, Hockey Canada said it would no longer use the fund financed by player registration fees to settle sexual assault claims while the organization's CEO and board of directors stepped down.

In addition to the London Police investigation, both Hockey Canada and the NHL conducted their own probes into the alleged assault.

Hockey Canada CEO Katherine Henderson, who took over the position last July, said in a statement the governing body needs to conduct itself better going forward.

"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 Henderson.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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