Suspensions Stay in Place for Canadian Hockey Stars Despite Court Acquittal

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:06:26 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Three NHL‑eligible Canadian hockey players are barred from international play until 2030, while a fourth is set to return in 2027.

A Hockey‑Canada appeals board has upheld bans on four formerly under‑20 players who were acquitted of sexual assault last year. The players—Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Carter Hart—must wait until 2030 to be eligible for national representation, although their NHL status remains unchanged. Owner Alex Formenton, also cleared in court, is reinstated but continues to face scrutiny from sport‑governance bodies. Hockey Canada says the decision signals a broader push toward safer, more accountable sport cultures.

Suspensions Stay in Place for Canadian Hockey Stars Despite Court Acquittal

Composite photo of hockey stars Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote outside a court building

Hockey Canada has affirmed bans on four of five former under‑20 players who were acquitted of sexual‑assault charges last year, reaffirming the association’s code of conduct violations.

According to the independent appeals board, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Carter Hart will remain barred from all Hockey‑Canada‑sanctioned programmes until 2030. Alex Formenton, who also broke conduct rules, is now reinstated but still faces scrutiny.

The players were charged in 2018 with assaulting a woman in a hotel room while attending a gala in London, Ontario. A July‑2025 decision by Justice Maria Carroccia found the evidence from the woman—referred to as EM—“not credible or reliable” and cleared the five men of wrongdoing.

Hockey Canada’s separate enforcement keeps the players from representing Canada at international level, even though they are fully eligible to play in the NHL. The NHL’s own investigation concluded that the incidents did not warrant disciplinary action under its governing rules.

The appeals board set staggered reinstatement dates: Foote on 10 November 2023, Hart and Dube on 10 November 2027, and McLeod on 10 November 2030. Officials did not explain why the dates differ.

“It is the voices of women and survivors, and the courage it takes to come forward, that have led to changes we’re seeing in toxic culture,” Canada’s Secretary‑General of Sport, Adam van Koeverden, said after the ruling.

The case has spurred a national conversation about safe sport and the broader culture of men’s hockey, prompting Hockey Canada to claim progress in addressing systemic failures.