A composite image shows former members of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team, left to right, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart as they arrived to court in London, Ont., April, 2025.Nicole Osborne/The Canadian Press
Sexual assault allegations against five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team grabbed national attention and prompted a reckoning for Canada’s beloved game. The trial against the men has also garnered headlines for other reasons. Since it began in a London, Ont., courtroom in late April, the trial has been plagued by disruption, including a mistrial and the dismissal of a second jury.
Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton are charged with sexually assaulting a woman, known publicly as E.M., in a hotel room after a Hockey Canada gala in June, 2018. Mr. McLeod also faces a second charge of being a party to sexual assault. All of the men have pleaded not guilty.
A timeline of key events in the Hockey Canada case before it went to trial
The trial follows a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Hockey Canada over the allegations, which the amateur sports organization quietly settled for an undisclosed amount without the players’ knowledge.
Amid a flurry of media attention – including a Globe and Mail investigation exposing a secret Hockey Canada fund to cover sexual assault claims and other lawsuits – London police reopened E.M’s case, which had been dropped without charges several years earlier.
Justice Maria Carroccia is scheduled to deliver her verdict on July 24.
The following is a timeline of some of the case’s key moments:
With files from Grant Robertson
Send us your questions about the Hockey Canada trial
The weeks-long trial of five former Canada world junior hockey players accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a London, Ont., hotel in 2018 is nearly done, but the high-profile proceedings have raised many questions beyond what the judge's verdict will be. A mistrial and two dismissed juries made their own headlines, while emotional testimony from the complainant, E.M., and excluded evidence have prompted scrutiny of how Canada's beloved game and the justice system treats sexual-assault allegations.
Globe reporters have been in court every day reporting on the trial, and we want to hear your questions about the case. Submit your questions via the form below or send us an email at audience@globeandmail.com with "Hockey Canada" in the subject line.