The seven former Canadian Hockey League players charged with sexual assault in 2018 will cooperate with the NHL’s investigation, lawyers representing them announced Sunday.
Posted at 6:46 p.m.
The seven players accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2018 while members of the Canadian Hockey League will cooperate with the National Hockey League’s (NHL) investigation into the matter, as originally reported by the Sports Network (RDS) on Sunday.
According to the 13 lawyers who represent these players, they “should not be punished by the league, because all the sexual contact between the players and the woman was consensual. »
It’s unclear if the players involved will also cooperate with Hockey Canada’s separate investigation into the allegations, although they could be banned for life from the organization if they don’t. . Hockey Canada announced Thursday that the organization is reopening its investigation, and that the alleged victim will cooperate.
Recall that, in a complaint to Hockey Canada filed last April, a woman nicknamed “EM” alleged that in June 2018, eight Canadian Hockey League players, including members of the Canada Junior Team, assaulted her for hours. The alleged gang rape allegedly took place in a hotel room in London, Ontario, following a Hockey Canada event.
The alleged victim claims the players later forced her to take a shower and then gave a videotaped statement to ensure she was fasting and consenting. According to her, the players ordered her not to press charges, nor to cooperate with any form of criminal investigation.