Warning: This article contains graphic content and may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone who has been affected by sexual violence.
Five former 2018 World Junior Hockey players have turned themselves in to police in London, Ont., on sexual assault charges in a high-profile case that has embroiled the sport’s governing body in controversy, The Globe and Mail reports. I was told to do so.
London police declined to comment publicly on Wednesday about the circumstances of the case.
The department said in a social media post that it “anticipates” that police will hold a press conference on Feb. 5 to discuss “a sexual assault investigation dating back to 2018.”
CBC News has not independently verified the Globe and Mail report.
According to 2022 court documents, London police believe there are sufficient grounds to charge the players with sexually assaulting a young woman in a hotel room in London, Ont., in June 2018. It became clear that
London police closed the case in 2018, but reopened it in 2022 in response to public outrage following the lawsuit.
CBC’s Fifth Estate reported that the initial investigation was described by experts as “sketchy at best.”
Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough said in a media statement on Wednesday that she was “aware of recent developments” regarding the London Police investigation.
She said, “Abuse in any form has no place in our sports system, whether on the field, in the rink, in the locker room or anywhere else.”
“The safety of sports is at stake in our country,” Quartro said.
“My top priorities are to embed responsibility, integrity and safety in everything we do within our sports system.”
The alleged victim, known only as “EM” in court documents, is suing eight unnamed players, Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League for more than $3.5 million. Hockey Canada settled that lawsuit.
According to EM’s complaint, the woman, who was 20 at the time, claims she met the players while the world junior champion was in London for a Hockey Canada Foundation gala and golf event.
She then went to the player’s hotel room and allegedly engaged in sexual acts with him, according to the complaint.
The suit alleges that at one point, the player allowed seven other people to enter the room without their “knowledge or consent.”
The suit also says the men brought “golf clubs with the knowledge that they would further frighten and intimidate her.”
According to the complaint, the group of hockey players engaged in a series of indecent assaults over several hours, including placing their genitals in the victim’s face, spanking him, spitting on him, ejaculating on him, and having vaginal sex with him while he was inside. He is said to have engaged in sexual acts that caused injury to the victim. I’m too drunk to consent.
At one point, the young woman cried and tried to leave the room, but was “directed, manipulated, and threatened to remain in the room,” the statement said.
After the sexual assault was over, the players allegedly filmed the young woman, told her to say she was sober, and told her to take a shower.
The suit also alleges that the players pressured the young woman not to press charges or cooperate with police investigations.
Allegations of misconduct in Hockey Canada
Further details of the investigation were revealed in a court filing prepared by London police and unsealed by the Globe and Mail in 2022.
Documents obtained by CBC News also included a request by police to ask a judge to approve warrants and production orders related to the investigation.
According to court filings, EM told police in 2018 that he met one of the players at Jack’s Bar on a night of drinking, and that an “older gentleman” bought bullets for the group. He reportedly stated that he remembered pouring a “Jaeger bomb” into his mouth.
According to court filings, the man praised the player he was with and told EM to “take care of him.”
According to court filings, a player known as “Player #1” took EM back to his hotel room at the Delta Armory.
Police interviewed “Player #1” and a number of other players allegedly involved in the incident.
According to court filings, Player 1 told police that he thought EM’s drinking was “okay” as he left the bar and headed to his hotel. According to court filings, Player #1 confirmed in a statement to police that he had consensual sex with EM and then texted the other player to come to his room. It is said that he did.
According to court filings, based on interviews with players, one player said Player #1 asked if anyone in his room wanted a certain sexual act, and two players responded yes. reported.
Recently filed court documents say police have executed search warrants to further investigate five members of the 2018 World Junior Hockey Team who police believe were involved in the alleged sexual assault of a woman in London, Ont. The reason for the request is made clear. None of the police allegations have been heard in court and no charges have been filed.
The court filing also alleges that Player #1 was responsible for recording two videos of EM asking, “Are you okay?” in his hotel room.
One of the videos shows a woman wiping her eyes and slurring her speech, according to the documents.
EM told police he believed the video was taken at the end of the night and didn’t remember it at all.
“According to EM, the two video clips made by Player 1 were created to prevent her from going to the police,” London Police Sgt. David Younan, who prepared the application to the court.
“Player #1 even asked her if she was going to go to the police…and asked her to resolve the issue with the police.”
The court filing includes text message exchanges between EM and Player #1 in which he repeatedly asks EM to “fix” the issue.
According to court filings, Player #1 texted EM, “Okay, please find a way to resolve this and contact the police.”
“What can I do to make this go away? Okay, so are you going to end this?”
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
London-based law firm Beckett Personal Injury Lawyers, which represented EM in previous legal proceedings, said in a statement to CBC News that criminal charges could be filed in the case. He said that sex should be “welcome to anyone who wants to know the truth.” ”
The company said its lawyers “do not know the identities of the five parties involved, nor are we in a position to share the identities of anyone involved in this matter.”
According to a company spokesperson, EM has “consistently requested privacy.”
“New coverage of this case challenges us as a society to address sexual assault, institutional culture, and the goals of reducing both the occurrence of sexual crimes and the harm that results from them.” We hope that this will spark a new debate about what is best for them.”They do happen,” the spokesperson said.
“Our hearts go out to victims and survivors around the world who are grappling with their own circumstances, where news like this can make things even worse.”
Apart from the criminal case, two other investigations related to the alleged mass sexual assault are ongoing.
Hockey Canada hired a private law firm to conduct an investigation into the incident. It then set up an “independent tribunal” to complete a closed-door hearing and release a final report to determine whether the players involved should be sanctioned.
However, the hockey organization has not made the results public, saying the committee’s conclusions are pending appeal.
Hockey Canada said Wednesday it had no updates to share regarding the “ongoing appeals process.”
The NHL is also conducting its own investigation, but the results have not yet been released.
For anyone who has experienced sexual assault, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services. Government of Canada website or Canadian Society for the Elimination of Violence Database. If you are in immediate danger or if your safety or the safety of others is threatened, call 911.