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.