Hockey Canada won't discuss sanctions as panel's report on sexual assault claim under appeal

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Hockey Canada says a third-party adjudicative panel has completed its final reporton possible sanctionsagainst former World Junior players who allegedly were involved in a 2018 group sexual assault in London, Ont.

But the hockey organization isn't releasing the results or stating whether the report recommends sanctions against any of the players because it says the panel's conclusionsare now under appeal.

"As the appeal process, which we anticipate will begin in the near future, will be conductedin-camera, we are not able to share details of the report, including its findings at this time, to ensure that we do not interfere with the integrity of the appeal process," Jeremy Knight, a spokesperson for Hockey Canada, said in a press release.

The hockey organization says it received a notice of appeal shortly after the adjudicative panel made up of two retired judges and a senior lawyer shared its final report with all of the parties involved, including the players and the alleged victim.Hockey Canada won't say who filed the appeal.

The adjudicative panel's work is being conductedbehind closed doors. Hockey Canadawon'tname the threemembers ofwhat it calls an independent panel. Hockey Canadatasked the panel with determining if the playersbreached its code of conduct.

The high-profile casecentres ona lawsuit Hockey Canada settled with a young woman who allegedin April2022 that she was sexually assaulted in 2018 by eight Canadian Hockey League players, including members of the World Junior team.

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The lawsuit shook the sports world and led to a series of sponsors dropping their support for Hockey Canada, while the federal government froze the agency's fundingand MPs demandedanswers.Hockey parents were also outraged to learn that Hockey Canada used theNational Equity Fund made up in part of their registration fees to pay an out-of-courtsettlement in that case and others.

The organization'sentire board of directors and CEO stepped down last year in the face ofwidespread criticism of its handling of the alleged sexual assault case.

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The woman alleged in her lawsuit that an unnamed hockey player bought her alcoholic drinksat a local bar. She claims that she became visibly drunk and was seenstumbling andslurring her speech.

The statement of claim alleges thecomplainant went to the player's hotel room and engaged in sexual acts. The statement of claim alleges that at some point, the player allowed seven others to enter the room without the complainant's"knowledge or consent." The statement of claimsaid the men brought "golf clubs with them, knowing it would further frighten and intimidate her."

Over several hours, according to the statement of claim, the group of hockey players placed their genitals on her face, slapped her buttock, spit on her, ejaculated on her and engaged in vaginal intercourse while she was too intoxicated to consent.

The statement of claimsaidthat after the sexual assault ended, the players filmed the young woman,instructed her to say she was sober and toldher to shower.

The statement of claim also alleges the players pressured the young woman not to report the allegations or co-operate with a police investigation.

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When Hockey Canada learned about the allegations,it initiallycontacted the high-profile law firmHenein HutchisonRobitaille LLP for legal advice, a parliamentary committee has heard. Hockey Canada later hired the law firm to launch its own investigation into what happened.

Henein Hutichson's report onthe alleged sexual assault was shared with Hockey Canada'sadjudicative panelin November2022. The panel was tasked with determining if sanctions should be imposedagainst the players, Hockey Canada said.

The London PoliceServiceis conducting its own separate investigationinto the alleged assault. It re-openedits probe of the allegation in response topublic criticism.

Court documents unsealed almost a year ago showed London police investigators believed they hadreasonable grounds to accuse five World Juniorhockey players with sexually assaulting the woman.None of the police allegations have been proven in court and no charges have been laid.

The NHL has also conducted its own investigation and has not yet released the results publicly.