An independent appeal board has determined that five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team, previously cleared of sexual assault charges, have violated Hockey Canada’s code of conduct. Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to uphold the board’s recommendations for ongoing suspensions and reinstatement timelines for Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, and Michael McLeod.
Although the five players were acquitted in July 2025 following allegations of sexual assault involving a woman referred to as “E.M.” at a 2018 Hockey Canada event in London, Ont., where the national junior team celebrated its world championship victory, a panel consisting of John Laskin, Katherine Swinton, and Thomas McEwen suggested continued suspensions from Hockey Canada programs for four of the athletes.
The reinstatement dates vary for the players. McLeod’s eligibility for reinstatement is set for November 10, 2030, while Foote, Hart, and Dube are scheduled for reinstatement on November 10 in 2027, 2027, and 2028, respectively. Formenton, on the other hand, is immediately eligible for reinstatement.
Hockey Canada confirmed that all other members of the 2018 team are now eligible to be considered for participation in any Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities. The suspended players, who had NHL careers prior to the legal accusations, have been able to sign with NHL teams since October 15 and have been permitted to play since December 1.
Regarding the current whereabouts of the five players, Hart has inked a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights and contributed to their advancement to this year’s Stanley Cup final. Dube secured an NHL contract with St. Louis on July 1. McLeod spent the previous season with Omsk Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League, while Foote played for the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League last season and had a contract with Farjestad BK terminated due to public backlash. Formenton has been playing hockey in Switzerland for the past three seasons.
In 2022, it was revealed that Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit out of court with the woman involved. This led to an investigation by Canada’s sport minister at the time, Pascale St. Onge, who ordered a forensic audit to ensure public funds were not used for the settlement. Federal funding to the organization was frozen for almost a year as a result.
Accountability remains a top priority for Hockey Canada. The organization’s executives faced tough questioning from Members of Parliament on how they managed the situation. Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s current secretary of sport, acknowledged the board’s findings and emphasized the importance of a safe sporting environment. He highlighted the progress made by Hockey Canada in addressing systemic issues and emphasized the need for national sports organizations to prioritize safety and integrity.
The government continues to closely monitor the reforms being implemented by national sports organizations to foster a culture of respect, safety, and integrity across all sports.