In brief
An independent appeals board ruled that four Canadian ice‑hockey players must remain suspended from all Hockey Canada programmes, despite a 2025 acquittal in a sexual‑assault case. The players – Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Carter Hart – were shown to have violated the national sport body’s code of conduct, and each has a separate reinstatement date ranging from November 2027 to 2030. The fifth player, Alex Formenton, has been cleared and can return immediately. The ruling does not affect their eligibility to play in the NHL, which operates independently of Hockey Canada. The decision highlights ongoing concerns about safe sport and toxic culture in Canada’s hockey community.
In a recent decision by an independent appeals board, four former Canadian junior hockey players are required to stay barred from all Hockey Canada programmes. The ruling comes after the players were found not guilty by a judge in July 2025.
The players – Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Carter Hart – were judged to have broken Hockey Canada’s code of conduct. Each has a specific date when they may return: Foote on 10 November 2025, Hart on 10 November 2027, Dube on 10 November 2028 and McLeod on 10 November 2030.
Alex Formenton, who was also accused, has been reinstated immediately and may resume playing for Hockey Canada teams.
Even though the National Hockey League contracts the players and is separate from Hockey Canada, the NHL’s own investigation found no reason to limit the players’ participation at the league level.
The charges stemmed from a 2018 hotel‑room incident during a gala in London, Ontario. A woman, known by the initials EM, alleged that the men did not fully obtain her consent. The court declared the evidence against the players unreliable and entitled them to acquittal.
Following the ruling, Canada’s secretary of sport, Adam van Koeverden, emphasised that the case has intensified national dialogue around safe sport and the necessity for cultural change within the hockey community. He highlighted the importance of listening to survivors and holding sport bodies accountable for systemic failures.
With these decisions, Hockey Canada demonstrates an ongoing commitment to address the culture around the sport, while also indicating that certain breaches can lead to lengthy suspensions even in the wake of legal exoneration.
