Five players on 2018 Canadian junior team reportedly asked to surrender to face sexual assault charges

CITYnews halifax / By Michael Ranger

Five members of Canada’s 2018 World Juniors hockey team have reportedly been told to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges.

The Globe and Mail, citing unnamed sources, is reporting the group of players are being given a set period of time to turn themselves in to London Police Service headquarters in London, Ont.

In a statement to CityNews, London Police advised they will not be providing any update at this time.

“When there is further information to share regarding this investigation, we will be in contact with media outlets,” reads the statement.

The players surrendering would mark the first time police have laid any charges in a scandal surrounding Hockey Canada that began gathering national media attention nearly two years ago.

The governing body came under a firestorm of criticism when news broke in the spring of 2022 that a woman alleged eight players — including members of the 2018 world junior team — sexually assaulted her in a hotel room following a gala event in London in June 2018.

The woman who made the allegation was seeking more than $3.5 million in damages from Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and the unnamed players. Hockey Canada settled the case for an undisclosed amount.

A year ago, London police filed an application with the Ontario Court of Justice stating they had reasonable grounds to believe five members of the 2018 team had sexually assaulted a woman.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

The alleged London incident and further allegations involving the 2003 World Junior team in Halifax led to a period of reckoning for the sport and saw Hockey Canada overhaul their leadership with the organization’s board members and CEO all resigning in the fall of 2022.

The scrutiny also led to most major corporate sponsors and Canada’s provincial member bodies pulling their support for the governing body.

With files from The Canadian Press and Sportsnet staff