5 former World Junior Hockey players expected to face sex assault charges: report
CBC
WARNING: This article contains graphic content and may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it
Five former 2018 world junior hockey players have been told to surrender themselves to police in London, Ont., to face sexual assault charges in a high-profile case that has embroiled the sport's governing body in controversy, the Globe and Mail reports.
London Police declined to comment publicly on the status of the case Wednesday.
In a social media post, the department said police "anticipate" holding 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.
Court documents in 2022 revealed London Police believed they had reasonable grounds to accuse the players of sexually assaulting a young woman in a London, Ont., hotel room in June 2018.
London police closed the case in 2018, then re-opened it in 2022 in response to public outrage following a lawsuit.
CBC's The Fifth Estate has reported that the first investigation was described as "cursory at best" by experts.
Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough said in a media statement Wednesday that she is "aware of recent developments" regarding the London police investigation.
She said "abuse, in all its forms, has no place in our sports system, whether on our fields, in our rinks, in locker rooms or elsewhere."
"There is a sports safety crisis in our country," Qualtrough said.
"My top priority is to embed accountability, integrity and safety into everything we do within the sport system."
The alleged victim, known only as "E.M." in court documents, sued eight unnamed players, Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League for more than $3.5 million. Hockey Canada settled that lawsuit.
E.M.'s statement of claim alleged the woman, who was 20 at the time, met the players when the World Juniors champions were in London for the Hockey Canada Foundation Gala and Golf event.
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