Four Canadian hockey stars remain suspended after sexual assault acquittal
A fifth has been reinstated, though an appeals board found that the whole group broke Hockey Canada's code of conduct.
An independent appeals board has ruled that four Canadian hockey players, acquitted of sexual assault in 2025, should remain suspended from representing Canada internationally due to their alleged violation of Hockey Canada's code of conduct. The fifth player, Alex Formenton, was also deemed to have breached conduct rules but is now being reinstated.
The players, who were part of Canada's under-20s junior hockey team, were accused of sexual assault during an incident in 2018 in London, Ontario. They were found not guilty in July 2025, with Justice Maria Carroccia stating that the alleged victim's evidence was not credible or reliable. The players, Formenton, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, and Carter Hart, are eligible to play for NHL teams, which operate independently from Hockey Canada.
However, their reinstatement dates differ, with Foote eligible as early as November 2025, and the other players facing waiting periods until 2030.
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