Investigator hired to look into group sexual assault allegations involving 2003 World Junior players
Warning: This story comprises sexually graphic particulars that could be disturbing to readers
Hockey Canada is overlaying the price of a third-party investigator employed to look into allegations {that a} group of males on the 2003 World Junior hockey group sexually assaulted a lady in RisePEI throughout a match practically 20 years in the past.
As a part of Hockey Canada’s acknowledged plan to deal with “poisonous” behaviour on and off the ice, it created a brand new “unbiased third-party” system to answer complaints of sexual violence.
That new system employed Ottawa-based lawyer and sport investigator Jennifer White to seek out out what occurred in 2003.
“My mandate is to make factual findings in respect of the allegations and to find out whether or not there was a violation of any relevant Hockey Canada insurance policies,” White wrote in an e mail to CBC Information.
White’s web site says she specializes in police issues and is retained by organizations to make findings of truth about allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
Hockey Canada has been underneath intense public scrutiny since Could over its dealing with of sexual assault allegations. The federal authorities froze the group’s funding, main sponsors have paused their help and a parliamentary committee is holding public hearings on the matter.
A person who reported viewing a video of the alleged 2003 sexual assault informed CBC Information it confirmed two gamers strolling right into a resort room the place about six different gamers have been standing bare and masturbating round a closely intoxicated girl whereas one particular person penetrated her.
TSN first reported on the video and spoke to 2 different sources who mentioned they noticed the footage.
Workforce Canada had been in RisePEI in early January 2003 for the finals; it took dwelling a silver medal. Nearly all the gamers on its star-studded roster went on to play within the NHL, and a few have had lengthy careers there.
RisePEI police are additionally investigating. CBC Information just lately reported the RisePEI police got the names of not less than two members of the group who allegedly have been concerned and who went on to play within the NHL.
WATCH | Man speaks out about alleged sexual assault involving World Juniors group:
White mentioned her mandate contains discovering out what Hockey Canada knew and what steps it took to reply. White is writing a report for the hockey group’s unbiased third get together (ITP), which retained her, she mentioned.
Hockey Canada mentioned that, with the intention to make the “course of as unbiased as potential,” it maintains a retainer settlement solely with the ITP, which is headed by trial lawyer and investigator Erin Durant and private-practice lawyer Brian Ward.
Durant and Ward act as a case managers and rent investigators to look into circumstances, mentioned Hockey Canada.
“Hockey Canada has no enter within the choice of the investigator and reimbursed the ITP for the investigator’s price,” mentioned Hockey Canada spokesperson Spencer Sharkley in an e mail to CBC Information.
Separate investigation by prison defence agency underway
Outdoors of this new system, Hockey Canada is paying instantly for a separate investigation by well-known prison defence agency Henein Hutchison into allegations of a separate group sexual assault in London, Ont., involving members of the 2018 World Junior group.
Hockey Canada’s public scandal erupted in Could after it settled a $3.5-million lawsuit filed by a woman who alleged eight hockey gamers, together with members of the 2018 World Junior group, sexually assaulted her. She alleged that, in 2018, the gamers intimidated her, informed her to bathe after the alleged sexual assault and instructed her to assert that she was sober whereas they filmed a consent video. Her allegations haven’t been confirmed in courtroom.
Hockey Canada referred to as Henein Hutchison for authorized recommendation in 2018 after studying in regards to the allegations and was suggested to report the matter to police, in keeping with the legislation agency, which testified earlier than a parliamentary committee.
The hockey group then retained that very same legislation agency for $287,000 to research the alleged sexual assault and determine any coverage points, Hockey Canada informed the parliamentary committee.
Whereas Hockey Canada is insured towards sexual assault claims, it maintained its personal reserve fund — made up in a part of hockey gamers’ registration charges — to pay out on allegations it did not need to run by means of its insurer.
Ottawa lawyer Paul Champ tweeted that this approach saved the allegations quiet and spared Hockey Canada the expertise of the “insurance coverage firm investigating and taking up defence.” Hockey Canada’s executives have mentioned the group did what it thought was finest for the lady concerned.
WATCH | Hockey Canada has paid 21 settlements for sexual misconduct since 1989:
Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge informed CBC’s The Home final week that athletes informed her they did not “utterly belief” investigations performed by third-parties in the event that they have been instantly paid by nationwide sport organizations. Athletes felt “like the method wasn’t unbiased sufficient,” she mentioned.
In response, the federal authorities has put aside $16 million over three years to launch an Workplace of the Sport Integrity Commissioner to deal with abuse in sports activities. The workplace opened on the finish of June with a mandate to independently oversee the grievance consumption course of, conduct preliminary investigations and keep a database of sanctions.
The workplace at the moment has to show away complaints involving Hockey Canada as a result of the group has not but formally signed on with the integrity commissioner.
White can also be on the checklist of investigators who will be employed to research circumstances by the game integrity commissioner.
The commissioner is contracting out investigative work and at the moment has a short lived roster of 12 investigators. The workplace mentioned it plans to broaden that checklist and give you a everlasting roster later this month.
White can also be on a roster as an investigator for the New Brunswick Police Fee and is concerned with that province’s sexual crimes working group. She can also be on a roster as an investigator for the Sport Dispute Decision Centre of Canada, in keeping with her web site.
