in the police LondonThe Onts announced Friday that they would resume a criminal investigation into an alleged sexual assault in a city involving members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team.
This comes two days after London Police Chief Steve Williams announced that “the force will conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether, if any, additional investigative avenues may exist”. Will be reviewed.”
The preliminary investigation, which concluded in February 2019 without any charges, was “long and detailed”, he said.
In a statement Friday, Williams revealed that the review offers “opportunities for further exploration,” and, as a result, the criminal investigation was reopened to “allow those opportunities to be explored.”
“Since this is now an active criminal investigation, I am unable to speak further on the matter. Appropriate information will be shared once the investigation is over,” Williams’ statement read.
Hockey Canada has been gutted by the results of its handling of sexual harassment allegations.
In May, news broke that the organization had quietly settled a lawsuit filed by a woman who complained of being drunk by eight unidentified players, including members of the world junior team, after a grand event in London on June 18, 2018. Was. ,
Hockey Canada paid the alleged victim an undisclosed settlement in connection with the suit, which also involved the Canadian Hockey League and eight players.
Hockey Canada lost government funding and corporate sponsorship after the allegations became public.
On Friday, Hockey Canada was rocked by even more sexual harassment allegations, this time involving members of its 2003 men’s world junior hockey team.
In a statement, the organization said it came to know of the alleged incident after being contacted by TSN seeking comment on the alleged attack.
The national sporting body said it immediately contacted Sport Canada as well as Halifax regional police about the allegations following the reporter’s email.
Halifax was the co-host city of the 2003 World Junior Hockey Championships.
The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage will continue its examination of Hockey Canada’s handling of the 2018 allegations on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Earlier this week, The Canadian Press reported that a fund maintained by Hockey Canada, over a nominal hockey membership fee, was being used to pay for uninsured liabilities, including claims of sexual abuse.
The organization has since confirmed that the fund existed, but said it would no longer be used to pay claims related to allegations of sexual harassment.
— With files from the Canadian Press
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.