An independent appeal board has found that five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team, previously cleared of sexual assault charges last year, violated the Hockey Canada code of conduct.
Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday that it has accepted the board’s recommendations for ongoing suspensions and reinstatement timelines for Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod.
The players were acquitted in July 2025 of sexual assault allegations related to an incident involving a woman referred to as “E.M.” during a 2018 Hockey Canada event in London, Ontario celebrating the national junior team’s world championship victory.
However, a panel of three judges, including John Laskin, Katherine Swinton, and Thomas McEwen, recommended that four of the players remain suspended from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.
The reinstatement dates vary among the players, with McLeod not eligible until November 10, 2030. Foote will be eligible on the same day, while Hart and Dube will be eligible in 2027 and 2028, respectively. Formenton is eligible for immediate reinstatement.
Hockey Canada confirmed that all other members of the 2018 team are now eligible to participate in any Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.
The suspended players, who had NHL careers before facing charges, have been eligible to sign with NHL teams since October 15 and to play since December 1.
Regarding the current whereabouts of the five players, Hart signed with the Vegas Golden Knights and contributed to their journey to this year’s Stanley Cup final. Dube joined St. Louis on July 1, McLeod played with Omsk Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League last season, Foote played with the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League, and Formenton has been playing in Switzerland for the past three seasons.
In 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit out of court with the woman involved. This led to Canada’s sport minister at the time, Pascale St. Onge, ordering a forensic audit to verify that public funds were not used in the settlement, resulting in the freeze of federal funding to the organization for nearly a year.
Accountability continues to be a top priority for Hockey Canada. The organization’s executives faced questioning by Members of Parliament on Parliament Hill regarding their handling of the situation. Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s current secretary of sport, acknowledged the findings of the independent appeal board and emphasized the importance of a safe sport culture and addressing toxic norms in men’s hockey.
Significant strides have been made since 2022 to address systemic issues within Hockey Canada. The organization is now a full signatory to the Canadian Safe Sport Program, demonstrating its dedication to fostering a culture of positive change.
Canada’s sport system is urged to prioritize the safety and well-being of all individuals involved. National sport bodies are expected to be accountable as they implement measures to prevent and address misconduct, as weak safeguards can lead to real harm.
The government remains vigilant in monitoring national sport organizations and their efforts to create a culture of safety, respect, and integrity across all sports.