In brief
An independent appeals board has ruled that four former Under‑20 national team players will remain suspended from Hockey Canada programs despite their acquittal. The fifth player, Alex Formenton, is reinstated. The ruling follows a 2018 sexual assault claim, though the players were found not guilty in 2025. NHL eligibility remains unaffected. The decision signals progress in Canada’s safe‑sport reforms.
Four former Canadian junior hockey players will remain suspended, according to an independent appeals board.
Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Carter Hart — all of whom were acquitted of sexual assault charges last year — will be barred from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programmes until their reinstatement dates trigger in 2030, 2028, 2027 and 2021 respectively.
Alex Formenton is the only player considered eligible for immediate reinstatement, a move she will see both within Hockey Canada and in the NHL as the league operates under separate jurisdiction.
In 2018, the five former Under‑20 players were accused of assaulting a woman (referred to as EM) in a hotel room during a gala in London, Ontario. Justice Maria Carroccia found the evidence unreliable, and the players were acquitted on July 25, 2025.
Despite their acquittal, Hockey Canada ruled that they breached the code of conduct, prompting the suspension ruling. The decision is seen as a crucial step toward addressing systemic failures in Canada’s sports culture and promoting safe sport.
