Canada: Sexual assault charges against hockey pros

Canadian police confirmed on Monday that sexual assault charges have been levied against five players from Canada's 2018 world junior ice hockey team – four of whom currently play in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The incident in question was first reported to police in June 2018 by a woman who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by members of the team in a hotel room after a Hockey Canada charity event in London, Ontario.

An initial police investigation was dropped in 2019 but reopened in July 2022, a delay for which police also apologized on Monday.

"I want to extend, on behalf of the London Police Service, my sincerest apology to the victim, to her family, for the amount of time that it has taken to reach this point," said police chief Thai Truong at a press conference.