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Sexual assault lawsuit: Mass resignation in Canada's ice hockey association

2022-10-12T10:53:23.948Z


The Canadian ice hockey association is said to have paid alleged victims of sexual violence a kind of hush money from secret coffers. Now there were serious consequences.


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Scott Smith was Hockey Canada's CEO for just three months and has been with the association for nearly three decades

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Sean Kilpatrick/AP

In the wake of a scandal surrounding multiple allegations of sexual violence, the board of directors of the Canadian ice hockey association, Hockey Canada, led by CEO Scott Smith, resigned after heavy criticism.

This was announced by the umbrella organization.

The decision followed several revelations.

For example, the association is said to have used funds from a secret fund to pay for alleged victims of sexual abuse.

In the wake of the events, former chief executive Michael Brind'Amour resigned in August, followed by interim chief executive Andrea Skinner on Saturday after politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called for a leadership change and sponsors bailed out.

Trudeau had also threatened to dissolve the association.

The government had cut grants over how the case was handled.

A committee is now to run the organization until a new board is elected in December.

The prime minister threatened the association with dissolution

Pascale St-Onge, federal minister for sport, described the changes made on Tuesday as "a step towards restoring Canadians' confidence in the organisation".

The federation's mission is not only to develop people into exceptional athletes, but also into citizens who respect women, society and the law.

Ice hockey remains one of the most popular sports in Canada.

In May it became known that the Canadian association had settled the million dollar lawsuit brought by a woman who, according to her, was sexually molested by eight men four years ago.

Among them are said to have been players from the junior national team.

In the spring, the association reached a financial agreement with the 24-year-old woman.

Police in London later said they were reopening the investigation into the 2018 incident.

Hockey Canada officials testified before a parliamentary committee in July that the organization had paid millions of dollars to nearly two dozen people accused of sexual misconduct over the past three decades.

According to media reports, this money is said to have been paid from a secret fund.

The fund is said to have been fed by membership fees.

ngo/AP/sid

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2022-10-12

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