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Four Canadian hockey stars remain suspended after sexual assault acquittal
Four Canadian ice hockey players acquitted of sexual assault have nevertheless been kept suspended from Hockey Canada programmes after an independent appeals board found they breached its code of conduct. The decision matters because it separates criminal acquittal from sporting disciplinary standards and keeps the case central to Canada’s wider debate over safety and culture in men’s hockey.
Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Carter Hart cannot represent Canada internationally until dates ranging from November 2026 to November 2030, while Alex Formenton will be reinstated immediately despite also being found to have breached conduct rules. All five were found not guilty in July 2025 over allegations linked to a 2018 hotel-room incident in London, Ontario, and remain eligible to play in the separately governed NHL, which allowed them to sign contracts again late last year.
In short
- Four acquitted players remain barred from Hockey Canada programmes.
- Formenton is reinstated immediately despite a conduct breach.
- NHL eligibility is unaffected by Hockey Canada’s decision.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Sporting organisations operate under distinct disciplinary frameworks separate from criminal law, and have legitimate authority to enforce their own conduct codes based on standards appropriate to their context. The appeals board's decision reflects the principle that acquittal on criminal charges—which requires proof beyond reasonable doubt—does not necessarily vindicate someone on conduct standards used by sports governing bodies, which may evaluate evidence on different thresholds and with different purposes. By maintaining consequences for breaches of code of conduct, Hockey Canada argues it protects the safety culture and reputation of the sport, signalling that certain behaviour falls short of expected standards regardless of what a courtroom concluded.
The case against
Substantial punishment following criminal acquittal raises serious fairness concerns, particularly when the same evidence examined in criminal proceedings is now being used to suspend players from international competition. The criminal justice system exists precisely to determine guilt or innocence on serious charges, and an acquittal should carry meaningful weight in subsequent proceedings rather than being treated as merely irrelevant to sporting discipline. The inconsistency is troubling: these players are permitted to sign NHL contracts and play professional hockey, yet are barred from representing their country, suggesting the organisation is applying ad hoc standards rather than principled policy.
Explained simply
Hockey Canada selects and supports teams representing the country, while the National Hockey League (NHL) runs professional club teams under its own rules. Players can therefore be cleared in court yet face separate decisions about whether they meet a sports organisation’s conduct standards.
The case concerns five players accused over an incident in a London, Ontario, hotel room in 2018. Their criminal trial ended with acquittals, but Hockey Canada’s disciplinary process considered whether their conduct breached its code. The case has drawn attention to how men’s hockey organisations handle allegations and player safety.