CANADA – Hockey Canada has rocked the country in one of the biggest scandals Canada has ever seen. With various allegations, lawsuits, and investigations, there are many layers to this story, so we’re going to break it down for you.
The scandal first broke when a 24-year-old woman filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada. The woman alleged she was assaulted by eight players, including members of the World Junior team, in the town of London, Ontario in 2018.
The woman and the accused players were not named publicly, though a number of players from the team denied any involvement. Many of those players now play in the National Hockey League (NHL).
In May of this year, sports network TSN revealed Hockey Canada had quietly reached a settlement with the woman. But the allegations didn’t stop there. Stories of a group sexual assault involving the 2003 World Junior team emerged in July 2022. Those allegations have yet to be proven in court.
CBC News reports that Hockey Canada had been using money from the National Equity Fund and the Participants Legacy Trust Fund to settle past sexual assault claims. The funds came from membership and insurance fees paid out by young hockey players across Canada.
A government investigation found that Hockey Canada has dealt with one to two sexual assault allegations per year, over the last six years. It also found that since 1989, $8.9million had been paid out in 21 settlements, meaning this has been going on for decades. Many Canadians took to social media to share how they felt about the situation.
Hockey Canada Scandal: The Fall Out
Following news of the scandal, Hockey Canada sponsors began to jump ship and cut ties with the organization. This included major players like Tim Hortons, Telus, and Scotiabank, who have refused to sponsor the men’s hockey program during the 2022-23 season.
But it’s not just sponsors, Hockey Quebec also revealed that they were cutting ties with Hockey Canada. Hockey Ontario and Hockey Nova Scotia followed suit and have also announced they will no longer share some fees with the organization.
Meantime, the federal government has frozen funds for the organization, with Canada’s Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge tweeting out “This is about changing a deeply entrenched culture, it’s not about simple Band-Aid solutions.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also spoke out online, saying that Hockey Canada “has lost the trust of all Canadians.”
With all eyes on the organization, Hockey Canada has reopened an investigation into the alleged 2018 sexual assault case, led by an independent third party. The investigation will also look into the National Equity Fund.
Over the summer the organization also launched an action plan, meant to “improve the culture behind the game.”
Steps in the plan include:
- Adopting the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport 6.0.
- Implementing a comprehensive tracking and reporting system for all complaints of maltreatment, abuse or harassment. The results will be published publicly annually to hold Hockey Canada accountable.
- Increasing and enhancing training for players, coaches, employees and volunteers to include additional focus on masculinity, consent and toxic behaviours, and to drive a culture in hockey that encourages all participants to speak up.
- A comprehensive review of all existing training programs by an independent specialist.
- Implementing enhanced character screening for all high-performance players.
- Mandating that breaching the Code of Conduct or failing to participate in any investigation could result in a lifetime ban from Hockey Canada programs.
- Prioritizing and investing in a robust department focused on safe and inclusive sport initiatives, including combatting harassment, abuse, injury prevention, mental health and gender equity.
“We need to do more to address the behaviours that are undermining the many good things the game brings to the country. With this Action Plan, we aim to do just that,” Hockey Canada said in a statement.
Hockey Canada Officials Step Down
Despite this plan, intense pressure led to all members of the Hockey Canada Board stepping down.
“Upon reflection, it is clear to me from recent events that it no longer makes sense for me to continue to volunteer my time as Interim Chair or as a Director of the organization,” said Andrea Skinner, former director and interim chair of Hockey Canada, in a statement announcing her departure.
“Despite recent challenges, I am gratified to have had the opportunity to cross paths with countless volunteers, dedicated people within the organization, sponsors, and other stakeholders,” Skinner’s statement continued.
Following Andrea Skinner’s resignation, the hockey organization released a statement on Tuesday October 11th, saying that the CEO and entire board of directors would also be making a swift exit.
“Recognizing the urgent need for new leadership and perspectives, the entire Board of Directors announced it will step aside and pursuant to Hockey Canada’s By-Laws, the Board will ask its Members to select a new slate of directors,” reads a statement, adding that the board will not be seeking reelection.
A virtual election is set for December 17th, 2022.
Brandon breaks down the rest of the details, including some red flags that this scandal was brewing, and how one sexual abuse survivor has spoken out on this episode of News You Can Use. How do you feel about Hockey Canada’s response to the scandal? Let us know in the comments.
