Hockey Canada has been embarrassed for several months and must justify the existence of a second reserve fund earmarked for cases of various kinds, including cases of sexual assault that its players may have committed.
• Also read: “Systemic problems” at Hockey Canada?
In a text published Monday, The Globe and Mail daily reports that the Participant Legacy Trust Fund was set up to cover costs incurred in court cases; these may relate to cases of sexual assault, but not exclusively. In July, the same newspaper mentioned the creation of a first fund, the National Equity Fund, with the same objectives as the second. In addition, the 2018 gang rape scandal involving the alleged acts of eight Junior Team Canada ice hockey players against a woman was initially covered up by paying the victim $3.55 million thanks to the National Equity Fund.
The latter also enabled the birth of the Participants Legacy Trust Fund by remittance to him of $7.1 million, English-language media said. As of Monday, there had been no public mention of this second reservation.
The crisis of confidence at Hockey Canada looks set to deepen as the federal government – led by Sports Secretary Pascale St-Onge – calls for management changes. Many sponsors such as Tim Hortons and Scotiabank have put their association with the national association on hold.