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On Tuesday (October 11), local time, the Canadian Ice Hockey Association announced that the association's CEO Scott Smith and all members of the board of directors resigned. In the past few months, the association's handling of "eight players were accused of sexual assault on one woman" has caused controversy. Ice Hockey is called Canada's "national ball", so this incident also alarmed Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau . He welcomed the decision of the Hockey Association and said: The organization's culture must change.
The scandal began with a lawsuit filed by a woman targeting the Canadian Hockey Association, the Canadian Hockey League and eight male players, who claimed 3.55 million Canadian dollars (about RMB 18.5 million). In the lawsuit, she claimed that she was collectively sexually assaulted by eight players from the Canadian Hockey League in Ontario in 2018, including members of a team that won the World Youth League Hockey League championship earlier that year. It is reported that the relevant investigations between the police and the Ice Association were left unresolved. The case was settled out of court, and no player was suspected of being involved in the case. It is reported that since the incident was exposed, more collective sexual assault allegations have surfaced.
The case further exposed the Canadian Hockey Association's use of a secret account to resolve more than a dozen cases of sexual misconduct for millions of dollars. The Canadian Hockey Association revealed that over the past 30 years, it has paid millions of dollars in settlements to nearly 20 complainants suspected of sexual assault. It is reported that part of the funds in the account come from the registration fee of young players. Andrea Skinner, interim president of the Canadian Hockey Association, resigned collectively after testified before the parliamentary committee last week.
, interim president of the Canadian Hockey Association Andrea Skinner believes that the sexual misconduct problems faced by Canadian Hockey Club reflect a broader social problem and said the sport should not be a "scapegoat" for the issue. She also said that if the Canadian Hockey Association management leaves, local hockey stadiums may struggle to maintain lighting, which has also triggered a rebound in public anger and emotions. Afterward, interim chairman Andrea Skinner resigned under pressure over the weekend.
Canadian Hockey Association also said in a statement Tuesday (October 11) that "recognizing the urgent need for new leadership and perspectives, the board of directors announced its resignation." The statement also announced the resignation of CEO Scott Smith. The hockey association also said it would set up an interim management committee until a new board of directors is elected (probably in December) and appoint a new CEO. "We hope Canadian teams are actively working hard to build a team that can provide better support and training for athletes and create an environment free of sexual violence and discrimination," Canadian Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge said in a statement. "We hope Canadian teams will actively work to build a team that will provide better support and training for athletes and create an environment free of sexual violence and discrimination."
It is reported that major sponsors, including Bank of Nova Scotia, Canadian Tire Corp., Restaurant Brands International, a multinational fast food company, and Bauer hockey, have canceled or suspended sponsorship support due to public anger.
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau welcomed the move, saying it was an "important first step." But he said the organization's culture must also change to ensure that the Canadian Hockey Association "protects employees, protects Canadians, protects our children who play hockey"; Canadian Sports Minister Pascal St. Anger also praised the change (of the Canadian Hockey Association) as "the right decision" and a "step toward restoring Canadians' confidence in the organization".
