(Toronto) The NHL Players Association Board of Directors voted in favor of an independent investigation into the union’s treatment of Kyle Beach’s sexual assault allegations in 2010.
Executive Director Don Fehr had recommended bringing in an outside firm to investigate what happened when the NHLPA learned of the allegations. The union announced Thursday that the board of directors voted in this direction.
In recent days, players have expressed concern over the NHLPA’s handling of Beach’s allegations. This even though he was not technically a member, as he has never taken part in an NHL game.
An investigation commissioned by the Blackhawks revealed that an individual Beach confided in contacted the NHLPA, but nothing emerged.
“I reported every detail to someone from NHLPA, whom I was put in touch with afterwards,” Beach said in an interview with TSN last week.
“I believe two different people spoke to Don Fehr. And for him to turn his back on the players when his only job is to protect the players at all costs, I don’t know how that can be your leader. I don’t know how he can be in charge. ”
Fehr enlisted as an NHLPA advisor in the summer of 2010, after Aldrich resigned (the latter had stepped down, rather than facing an investigation from the Blackhawks). Fehr was appointed CEO of the NHLPA in December of the same year.
In a statement last week, Fehr said the person Beach spoke to was a physician in the Player Assistance Program and that although confidential, the interview should have resulted in further action, due to the seriousness of what was said.
“The fact that it didn’t was a big failure,” Fehr said. There is no question that there was a breach in the system, and we are part of that system. ”