In a high-profile case closely followed across Canada, five Canadian ice hockey players have been acquitted of sexual assault charges by an Ontario judge.
On Thursday, in a packed courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia declared the players not guilty after reviewing eight weeks of testimony and evidence. She ruled that the woman, known as âEMâ, was not a credible or reliable witness and that the prosecution failed to prove its case.
The incident dates back to 2018, when the players former members of Canadaâs World Junior hockey team were accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room in London, Ontario. They were in the city for a Hockey Canada gala event.
The accused players are Michael McLeod, Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, and Carter Hart. At the time the allegations surfaced, four were playing in the National Hockey League (NHL), and one was playing in Europe.
Despite the acquittal, the NHL said in a statement that the players will remain ineligible to play until the league completes its review of the judgeâs findings.
After the verdict, none of the players spoke to the media.
