An independent appeal board has determined that five former members of Canada's 2018 world junior ice hockey team breached Hockey Canada's code of conduct, the governing body announced Wednesday, confirming suspensions for four of the five players despite their acquittal on sexual assault charges in July 2025.
Appeal board finds five acquitted Canadian hockey players breached code of conduct; suspensions confirmed
An independent appeal board has determined that five former members of Canada's 2018 world junior ice hockey team breached Hockey Canada's code of conduct, the governing body announced Wednesday, confirming suspensions for four of the five players despite their acquittal on sexual assault charges in July 2025.
Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, and Cal Foote were found not guilty in July 2025 of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room in London, Ontario, following a Hockey Canada gala held to mark the team's world junior championship victory in 2018.
Hockey Canada said it accepted the appeal board's recommendations on continued suspensions and reinstatement dates. Formenton has been reinstated immediately. Foote remains suspended until November 10, 2026. Hart, a goaltender with the Vegas Golden Knights, is suspended until November 10, 2027. Dube, a forward with the St. Louis Blues, is suspended until November 10, 2028. McLeod faces the longest suspension of the five, running until November 10, 2030.
The five players had been formally suspended from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs pending the outcome of the appeal process.
Hockey Canada said all other players on the 2018 world junior team are immediately eligible for consideration to participate in any Hockey Canada-sanctioned program. The governing body added, however, that any player under consideration for a national team will be subject to an enhanced screening process, including a third-party review of findings related to the 2018 National Junior Team, before being eligible to represent Canada internationally.
- The specific findings or reasoning of the independent appeal board have not been detailed in the source.
- The positions of McLeod, Formenton, Dube, Hart, and Foote regarding the appeal board's determination are not included.
- The criteria Hockey Canada used to determine the varying lengths of suspension for each player are not explained.
- The nature of the code of conduct breaches found by the board is not specified.
- The total number of players on the 2018 world junior team beyond the five named is not stated.
Read the original at The Japan Times