TSN revealed Tuesday the identities of all five former 2018 Canada Junior Team players who were allegedly ordered to surrender in court by police in London, Ontario, following an alleged gang rape. In addition to Michael McLeod and Alex Formenton, whose charges have been announced, the suspects include Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote.
The Canadian sports media says it has confirmed the information with two sources familiar with the matter.
As for New Jersey Devils forward Michael McLeod, his lawyers said Tuesday that he has been charged in connection with the case and will plead not guilty. That of Alex Formenton indicated on Sunday that the player, now a member of a Swiss team, had been charged by the Ontario police force.
The three others, who are part of the National Hockey League like Mr. McLeod, must go to the London police before his press conference is held on February 5.
TSN noted that attorneys for Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Cal Foot either declined to comment or did not respond to its interview requests.
THE Globe and Mail reported on January 24 that five players had been summoned by the police to face accusations of sexual assault.
They had all been granted “indefinite leave” from their respective teams in recent days.
The alleged facts, which date back to 2018, allegedly occurred following a Hockey Canada fundraising gala. Hockey players allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in a London hotel room.
The alleged victim filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and eight players in the spring of 2022. She claims to have first consented to sexual relations with a player, without knowing that seven of her teammates would then burst into the room to attack him and silence him. These allegations, refuted by the lawyers of certain players involved, have never been tested in court.
The story nevertheless engulfed Hockey Canada in a vast storm after the TSN network revealed that the organization had tried to keep the matter quiet by paying compensation to the complainant. The outrage from coast to coast convinced London police to reopen the investigation, after first closing the case in 2019 without filing charges.
With The Canadian Press and Sébastien Tanguay