An independent appeal board has determined that five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team, who were previously acquitted of sexual assault charges in 2025, have violated the Hockey Canada code of conduct.
Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday that it has accepted the board’s recommendations for continued suspensions and reinstatement dates for Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod.
The players were cleared of sexual assault allegations related to an incident involving a woman referred to as “E.M.” at a 2018 Hockey Canada event in London, Ont., where the national junior team celebrated their world championship victory.
Although the players were acquitted last year, a three-judge appeal board composed of John Laskin, Katherine Swinton, and Thomas McEwen advised maintaining suspensions from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs for four of the players.
Reinstatement dates vary for each player, with McLeod set to be eligible on Nov. 10, 2030. Foote will be eligible on the same date, while Hart and Dube will be eligible in 2027 and 2028, respectively. Formenton is immediately eligible for reinstatement.
Hockey Canada stated that all other members of the 2018 team are now eligible for consideration to participate in any Hockey Canada-sanctioned program.
The suspended players, who had NHL careers before the allegations, have been able to sign with NHL teams since Oct. 15 and play since Dec. 1.
Carter Hart joined the Vegas Golden Knights and contributed to their advancement to this year’s Stanley Cup final. Dillon Dube signed with St. Louis on July 1. Michael McLeod played for Omsk Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League last season. Cal Foote played with the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves and recently had a contract with Farjestad BK terminated due to criticism. Alex Formenton has been playing in Switzerland for the past three seasons.
In 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit out of court with the woman involved. This led to a forensic audit ordered by the former sport minister, Pascale St. Onge, to ensure public funds were not used in the settlement. Federal funding to the organization was frozen for nearly a year.
According to Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s current secretary of sport, the independent appeal board’s findings underscore the breach of the Hockey Canada Code of Conduct by all five players. The case has sparked discussions about safe sport and the problematic culture in men’s hockey, emphasizing the importance of women’s voices and survivors in driving changes to toxic environments.
Since 2022, Hockey Canada has made significant strides in addressing systemic issues and has become a full signatory to the Canadian Safe Sport Program, demonstrating a commitment to fostering a culture of change.
The government continues to monitor national sport organizations closely to ensure the implementation of measures that prioritize safety, respect, and integrity across all sports.
