Latest news with #sportsculture
CTV News
6 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Ruling expected today in sexual assault trial of five hockey players
A composite image of five photographs show former members of Canada's 2018 World Juniors hockey team, left to right, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart as they individually arrived to court in London, Ont., Wednesday, April 30, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne Warning: This article contains graphic content. LONDON — An Ontario judge is set to deliver her ruling today in the sexual assault trial of five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team, the culmination of a complex case that has fuelled ongoing conversations on consent and sports culture. Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote have all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in an encounter that took place in a London, Ont. hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018. McLeod, who prosecutors allege was the 'ringleader' that night, has also pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault. The players, who are now between the ages of 25 and 27, were in London at the time for a gala and golf tournament marking their championship victory. Court heard the complainant had sex with McLeod, whom she had met at a downtown bar earlier that night, in his hotel room – an encounter that was not part of the trial. The charges relate to what happened after several other players came into the room, with consent a central issue in the case. Prosecutors allege McLeod orchestrated a 'campaign' to bring his friends into the room to engage in sexual acts with the woman without her knowledge or consent. The woman did not voluntarily consent to the sexual acts that took place in the room, the Crown argued, and the players did not take reasonable steps to confirm that she did despite circumstances that would call for additional caution. The defence argues the woman actively participated in the sexual activity and was egging the men on at times, but later made up a false narrative to absolve herself of responsibility. They argue she came to court with an agenda and exaggerated her level of drunkenness that night to support her account and explain inconsistencies in it. McLeod, Hart and Dube are accused of getting oral sex from the woman without her consent, and Dube is also accused of slapping her buttocks while she was engaged in a sexual act with someone else. Formenton is alleged to have had vaginal sex with the complainant in the bathroom without her consent, and Foote is accused of doing the splits over her face and 'grazing' his genitals on it without her consent. Lawyers for McLeod, Hart, Formenton and Dube argue the woman consented to sexual acts with their clients, while Foote's lawyer argued he was fully clothed while doing partial splits over her body and didn't touch her at all. Court heard McLeod sent a text to a team group chat shortly after 2 a.m. asking if anyone wanted a 'three-way' and listing his room number. Hart replied he was 'in,' according to screenshots shown at trial. He also texted another teammate, Taylor Raddysh, telling him to come to the room if he wanted a 'gummer,' which Raddysh testified meant oral sex. McLeod made a similar comment to Boris Katchouk, another player who briefly stopped by his room, court heard. McLeod did not mention any of these interactions to police in a 2018 interview, instead saying he had told 'a few guys' that he was ordering food and had a girl in his room, and didn't know 'how guys kept showing up.' The woman was naked and drunk when men she didn't know started coming into the room, she told the court during more than a week of testimony. The men seemed to be laughing at her as they discussed sexual acts they wanted her to perform, she said, and she felt her mind 'shut down' as her body moved on 'autopilot.' Two teammates who were called as Crown witnesses, Brett Howden and Tyler Steenbergen, testified the woman asked the group if anyone would have sex with her, as did Hart, the only accused player to take the stand in his own defence. When that was put to her in cross-examination, the woman said she didn't remember saying such things, but that if she did, it was because she was drunk and had taken on the persona of a 'porn star' as a coping mechanism. The trial began in late April and was initially heard by a jury, but Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia twice discharged the panel and eventually the trial was switched to a judge alone to avoid having to start over a second time. Nine witnesses testified, most of them remotely – including the complainant, who testified via CCTV from another room in the courthouse. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025. Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ruling in hockey players' trial expected Thursday
Seven years after an encounter that put sports culture under a national microscope and sparked a new wave of conversations about consent, a judge is set to rule on whether the actions of five hockey players inside a London, Ont., hotel room that night constituted sexual assault. (July 22, 2025)
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Newsroom Ready: Ruling in hockey players' trial expected Thursday
Seven years after an encounter that put sports culture under a national microscope and sparked a new wave of conversations about consent, a judge is set to rule on whether the actions of five hockey players inside a London, Ont., hotel room that night constituted sexual assault. (July 22, 2025)
Zawya
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
Building Oman's sports economy from the ground up
In a recent article by Oman Observer about the Tejarah Talks podcast, Pankaj Khimji, Advisor for Foreign Trade & International Cooperation at MoCIIP, shared a thought that really stuck with me: 'Unless we develop our grassroots or sports culture, whether it's in schools, in the maydans, or on the beaches of Oman, unless we promote this in our families or schools, we're not going to be able to get into the real business of sports.' It's a powerful reminder. That quote—and the podcast episode as a whole—made me reflect on where we are as a country when it comes to sports. Yes, we're starting to attract major international events, but we must be equally ambitious in growing a culture of everyday sport and physical activity, especially for our children. In many ways, this reflects exactly what we try to do at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC). Of course, we're proud to host international competitions—whether it was the FIFA World Cup screenings in our gardens in 2022 or the World Veteran Table Tennis Championships in 2023. But just as important are the everyday experiences: each summer, we transform our exhibition halls into an indoor sports hub, offering people a fun and affordable space to stay active and beat the heat. Oman is naturally made for sports tourism. We've seen how our sister companies, like Oman Sail, are leading the way with events such as the upcoming World Sailing Inclusion Championships in 2025. But none of this happens in isolation. We need everyone—event organisers, schools, businesses, hospitality partners, and tourism boards—to come together to build something bigger. We're fortunate to have a landscape that many countries envy: dramatic mountains, open beaches, warm winds, and a year-round climate perfect for all kinds of activity. But to truly take advantage of this, we need to engage the most important player: our communities. Getting children into sport isn't just about fitness. It's about teamwork. It's about leadership. It's about learning to stay focused, persevere, and enjoy the journey. And ultimately, it's about making sport a bigger part of our national identity—an investment that also helps us attract global events. That's why initiatives like Sports Spark matter. If we want to see Omani athletes on international podiums—or see Oman feature more prominently on the global sports calendar—it all starts with access. It starts with a child picking up a racket or kicking a ball in a space that welcomes them. From July 18 to August 16, OCEC will once again open its doors for people to play, move, and connect—with summer camps for kids, corporate challenges, tournaments, and more. It's not just about putting on an event. It's about creating access, building habits, and helping people discover what sport can do for them—physically, mentally, and socially. So if you haven't looked into it yet, now's the time. You might just find that it changes more than your summer—it could change your daily routine. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Britain's most prestigious rowing club which has scores of Team GB athlete members is 'plunged into rape scandal'
Britain's most prestigious rowing club, which has produced legions of Olympic champions over the last century, has been rocked by claims it failed to investigate multiple claims of rape and sexual assault. At least three male rowers are understood to have been accused of raping female club members within the last five years at the club in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. The world-famous establishment is considered a 'global leader in rowing', according to Leander Club's website, which adds that members have secured 159 Olympic and Paralympic medals since 1908 - with 62 of these being gold. Among the damning allegations levelled at the club, as revealed by The Telegraph, are that: A man raped a female squad member in 2022 and was allowed to continue rowing A second man was suspended and then excluded following a harassment claim against him. He was readmitted on appeal and later accused of rape by a different female rower A third man was accused of raping a female rower, who was then forced to participate in a two-week training camp with him Female squad members, backed by more than a dozen of the male rowers, say allegations of sexual assault were ignored or dismissed by the Leander committee. They also accused the club of cultivating a culture of sexism and misogyny. One of the rape allegations, reported in April 2023, related to an incident said to have occurred during a team night out, at a flat in Henley. The woman, who was 18 at the time, is understood to have spoken to Leander Club and Thames Valley Police. But she subsequently failed to give a formal statement to police and later withdrew her complaint. According to sources, the woman had found the process too 'stressful and traumatising', but the situation did not end there. The accused man, who denies any wrongdoing, was allowed to 'train, eat and socialise in the same room as the victim', according to a letter of complaint subsequently sent to the club on October 23, 2024. Eighteen female and 15 male club members urged Leander to investigate 'multiple, serious allegations' against the individual 'as a matter of urgency'. Less than two weeks later, on November 6, 2023, chairman Pete Bridge and welfare representative Keith Settle informed members that the matter had been investigated but there was 'insufficient evidence' to progress it to a disciplinary. Despite a male witness and several women volunteering to provide evidence, none were spoken to before the investigation was closed, it is claimed. The female victim is understood to have left Leander following the incident. In a second claim, a male rower is accused of having harassed a female club member. He was suspended, but was allowed to return under appeal. Another rower then claimed this same individual had previously raped her, but it is believed this allegation was not brought to the attention of the club or the police. The man denies any wrongdoing. With his appeal still standing, the women's team reacted by boycotting training, before wearing pink instead of traditional white vests when they returned. They also wore white ribbons as a symbol of solidarity with victims of sexual abuse and rape. In a third instance, a male rower was accused of rape by a female club member in 2020. It is understood that after complaining to the club, she then had to attend a two-week training camp with the man she had accused. Despite the allegations becoming 'common knowledge' among the rowers, members were said to have been left aghast by an after-dinner speech given in 2022 by a veteran club member. The individual is understood to have made remarks of a sexual nature and referred to his penis during the speech. Many club members say they have been left feeling uncomfortable and unsupported by Leander in the wake of such accusations. One told ITV News: 'It's really triggering and makes people not feel safe. We didn't even want there to be men in the gym at the same time as us. We didn't want to represent the same club as people who've been accused of things like that. 'We wanted to say "we're not okay with it, we stand together as a will not stay silent.' Another said: 'Anyone with talent is protected in the system. People think [rowing' is elitist and it's privileged. 'If you have enough money, enough status, if you're good enough at sport, it's okay. 'We were failed by the very system that was supposed to protect us.' In a statement, Leander said: 'Leander Club takes seriously all issues relating to the safeguarding of our athletes. 'We have strict procedures in place to carefully examine any formal complaints and regularly review our club disciplinary processes to ensure they are fit for purpose, treating our athletes fairly and with respect. 'In addition to an updated code of conduct, we have partnered with a specialist external provider to ensure members of the club know without doubt the standards we expect and the ways to highlight any individual misconduct. 'When issues are raised, we will continue to take immediate action where necessary to protect the welfare of our athletes.' Mr Bridge, the Leander chairman, added: 'The athletes in our squads are at the heart of this club. 'When safeguarding issues arise, as with any organisation, there is a strict and confidential process that is followed to protect those involved. 'We continually review our safeguarding measures and have updated these in line with our ambition to ensure rowing is inclusive and accessible for the next wave of athletes pursuing their dreams of international sporting success.' Leander's extensive cohort of champions include Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell, Victoria Thornley and Lola Anderson.
