Hockey Canada keeps bans on four acquitted players

An independent appeals board has upheld Hockey Canada suspensions for four former members of Canada’s under-20 men’s team, keeping them out of all Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs despite their acquittal in a 2025 sexual assault trial linked to a 2018 incident in London, Ontario.

The decision, issued Wednesday, said Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, and Carter Hart breached Hockey Canada’s code of conduct. As a result, each will remain suspended under timelines that differ by player.

Cal Foote is eligible for reinstatement on November Independent board applies Hockey Canada conduct rules Hockey Canada In its ruling, the appeals board drew a clear distinction between the criminal court process and Hockey Canada’s internal conduct standard. While the players were found not guilty in July 2025, the board said the organization’s code of conduct still applied and had been violated. The outcome means the four players remain ineligible for Hockey Canada-run activities. That includes participation in Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs and the ability to represent Canada in international competition under Hockey Canada’s authority. Reinstatement timelines extend to 2030 The board set staggered reinstatement eligibility dates. Cal Foote is eligible for reinstatement on November 10, 2025, while Carter Hart’s suspension runs until November 10, 2027.

Dillon Dube remains suspended until November 10, 2028. Michael McLeod faces the longest ban, with reinstatement eligibility dated November 10, 2030.

Alex Formenton, identified as the fifth player involved, was also found by the board to have breached Hockey Canada’s conduct rules but was granted immediate reinstatement. Officials did not explain why the reinstatement dates differed among the players.

Hockey Canada

2018 London, Ontario incident remains central to the case The underlying incident took place in 2018 in London, Ontario, when the players were in the city for a gala. Court testimony described the woman, identified in proceedings as EM, meeting players at a bar before going to a hotel room.

According to the account referenced in the article, the core dispute at trial focused on whether EM consented to each sexual act that followed. The criminal proceedings ended with not-guilty verdicts for all five charged players in July 2025.

NHL eligibility is separate from Hockey Canada sanctions

The appeals ruling does not change the players’ eligibility to play in Hockey League, which operates separately from Hockey Canada. The NHL had previously allowed all five players to sign contracts again after conducting its own investigation.

In a statement following Wednesday’s decision, Canada’s secretary of sport, Adam van Koeverden, said the case “started a national conversation about safe sport and the problematic culture in men’s hockey.”

Attention is now expected to turn to whether Hockey Canada provides further detail about how it sets sanctions and how it applies its conduct framework alongside the NHL’s separate authority.