An independent appeals board has determined that five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team, who were cleared of sexual assault charges last year, violated the Hockey Canada code of conduct. Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday that it has accepted the board’s recommendations regarding the continued suspensions and reinstatement dates for Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod.
The players were acquitted in July 2025 following allegations of sexual assault involving a woman referred to as “E.M.” during a 2018 Hockey Canada event in London, Ontario. However, a three-judge appeals board consisting of John Laskin, Katherine Swinton, and Thomas McEwen suggested ongoing suspensions from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs for four of the players.
Reinstatement dates vary among the players, with McLeod set to be eligible for reinstatement on November 10, 2030. Foote will become eligible on the same date, while Hart and Dube will be eligible in 2027 and 2028, respectively. Formenton, on the other hand, is immediately eligible for reinstatement.
Hockey Canada stated that the other players from 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 as of October 15 and have been permitted to play since December 1.
Regarding the current whereabouts of the five players, Hart signed with the Vegas Golden Knights and contributed to their appearance in this year’s Stanley Cup final. Dube joined the NHL when he signed with St. Louis on July 1. McLeod played for Omsk Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League last season. Foote played with the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League and recently had a contract with Farjestad BK terminated due to criticism. Formenton has been playing in Switzerland for the past three seasons.
In 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit with the woman outside of court. This led to Canada’s sport minister at the time, Pascale St. Onge, ordering a forensic audit to ensure public funds were not utilized in the settlement, resulting in the freeze of federal funding to the organization for nearly a year.
Accountability remains a key focus for Hockey Canada executives, who faced questioning by members of Parliament about their handling of the situation. Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s current secretary of sport, acknowledged the appeal board’s findings, emphasizing the importance of creating a safe environment in sports and addressing toxic cultures. He highlighted the progress made by Hockey Canada in addressing systemic issues and emphasized the necessity of safeguarding the well-being of all individuals involved in sports. The government continues to monitor national sport organizations to ensure a culture of safety, respect, and integrity prevails across all sports.
