Acquittal of Canada World Junior Hockey Players in Sexual Assault Case

Five members of the 2018 Canada World Junior ice hockey team have been acquitted of sexual assault charges following a ruling by an Ontario judge who stated that the prosecution could not meet the necessary burden of proof.

The players—Michael MacLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dove, and Callan Foot—were involved in an incident that occurred in a London, Ontario hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018.

At that time, they were in London for events associated with the World Junior Championships held earlier that year. The players are now between 25 and 27 years old.

Judge Maria Carrotcha expressed doubts about the credibility of the claimant’s testimony.

The alleged victim had met the players at a bar after attending a Hockey Canada event on June 18. Later that night, she was invited to a hotel room where she claims she was assaulted.

She testified that she was drunk and felt frightened when four men entered the room and believed she had no choice but to comply with their demands. Prosecutors argued that the players acted without ensuring her consent.

The woman described feeling vulnerable, stating, “I chose to dance with them and drink at the bar. I didn’t choose to let them do what I did in the hotel.”

Defense attorneys challenged her account over multiple days, suggesting she was complicit and sought a “wild night.” Video evidence from that night was presented in court, in which the woman appeared to agree to the events, yet she clarified that it did not reflect her true feelings.

All five players have taken indefinite leave from their teams. Those not on NHL rosters currently lack aggressive contracts in the league.

In 2022, the NHL initiated its own investigation into the matter. Although authorities promised to release the findings, Commissioner Gary Bettman mentioned in February that the league would comply with legal proceedings in place.