{"id":34683,"date":"2025-07-31T10:10:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T10:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/34683\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T10:10:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T10:10:12","slug":"nhl-players-walk-free-after-gang-rape-trial-critics-say-justice-system-chose-hockey-careers-over-a-womans-truth-nhl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/34683\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL players walk free after gang rape trial\u2014critics say justice system chose hockey careers over a woman\u2019s truth | NHL News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"NHLNHL players walk free after gang rape trial (Getty Images) A landmark sexual assault case involving five former members of Canada\u2019s World Juniors hockey team has ended in acquittals, sparking renewed criticism of the nation’s hockey culture and the legal system\u2019s handling of sexual violence. The case, centered on a 2018 incident in a London, Ontario hotel room, saw the complainant, \u201cEM,\u201d testify in excruciating detail about what she described as non-consensual acts involving multiple players. Despite this, the judge found her \u201cnot credible nor reliable,\u201d a ruling that has left many Canadians disheartened.<\/p>\n

A trial that put the accuser on the stand more than the accused<\/p>\n

EM endured nine days of testimony, including seven under cross-examination by five separate defense teams. Her account described being intoxicated, overwhelmed, and pressured into adopting a \u201cporn star\u201d persona in a room of intimidating men. She admitted to trying to placate the players to avoid danger, not to willingly engage in group sex. But the judge, Justice Maria Carroccia, rejected her narrative, even citing discrepancies like her weight as evidence of dishonesty.\u201cThe complainant, rather than answering the question truthfully, chose to repeat what she had said previously,\u201d Carroccia said, interpreting a minor weight estimate as a sign of deceit. This line of reasoning, critics argue, exemplifies a damaging legal double standard\u2014one that held the complainant to impossible standards while largely ignoring the behavior of the accused.<\/p>\n

Hockey Canada\u2019s reckoning fades as players seek return to the NHL<\/p>\n

Though the trial reignited scrutiny of Canadian hockey\u2019s longstanding culture of silence and impunity, reform has been slow. Hockey Canada had previously settled with EM and admitted to having a secret fund for sexual assault claims. The revelations led to public outrage, dropped sponsors, and players being barred from the NHL.Still, many believe this reckoning is already being walked back. With the players acquitted, their union is advocating for their reinstatement. The NHL said the conduct was \u201cunacceptable\u201d but is still \u201cdetermining next steps.\u201d For many, this signals a return to business as usual.Also Read: \u201cA non-starter for the Edmonton Oilers\u201d: Carter Hart\u2019s NHL comeback faces major hurdle despite acquittal, says insider<\/a><\/p>\n

FAQs<\/p>\n

1. What was the outcome of the Canada hockey assault trial?<\/p>\n

All five accused players were acquitted of sexual assault charges.<\/p>\n

2. Did the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial judge believe the complainant\u2019s story?<\/p>\n

No, the judge found her testimony not \u201ccredible nor reliable.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Will the players accused in the sexual assault trial return to the NHL?<\/p>\n

The NHL has not confirmed but is reviewing the case post-verdict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NHL players walk free after gang rape trial (Getty Images) A landmark sexual assault case involving five former…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":34684,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[556],"tags":[64,63,31841,31846,23708,31848,31844,575,31843,31847,31842,85,31845],"class_list":["post-34683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-canada-hockey-trial","tag-em-complainant","tag-hockey-canada-scandal","tag-hockey-canadas","tag-justice-system-and-sexual-assault","tag-nhl","tag-nhl-acquittal","tag-nhlthough","tag-sex-assault-trial","tag-sports","tag-world-juniors-hockey-team"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}