Hockey Canada scandal: 2003 World Juniors alleged sexual assault case still under investigation

New updates have surfaced in the Hockey Canada scandal, as the Halifax Regional Police is investigating a historical sexual assault case alleged to have occurred during the 2002-03 World Juniors tournament. The incident reportedly involved multiple members of Canada's team and has cast a dark cloud over the sport.

Constable Nicolas Gagnon, a spokesman for the Halifax Regional Police, confirmed that the Hockey Canada scandal investigation is ongoing, providing a brief update on the matter.

"The matter remains under investigation."

Constable Gagnon wrote in an email to TSN, emphasizing their commitment to pursuing justice in the Hockey Canada scandal.

Sources familiar with the investigation have revealed that the Halifax police have allocated "significant" resources to this high-profile case. In recent weeks, they have redoubled their efforts to contact potential witnesses who may possess valuable information about the alleged sexual assault.

This troubling case first came to the forefront on July 22, 2022, when Conservative MP John Nater, a member of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, announced his intention to press Hockey Canada for a response.

Nater's concerns centered around allegations that during the 2003 World Juniors tournament, more than half a dozen players on the Canadian team were involved in the sexual assault of a woman who was naked and non-responsive.

Nater revealed that he had spoken with a source who claimed to have viewed a six- or seven-minute video of the alleged incident in the spring of 2003, several months after the tournament took place in Halifax.

The source, who works in the hockey industry, described the video as starting with a Team Canada player outside a room, answering questions as if conducting a pre-game interview with an unidentified camera operator.

In the video, the player reportedly referred to the upcoming event as "a f---ing lamb roast." Shockingly, the footage depicted approximately six players taking turns assaulting a non-responsive woman lying face-up on a pool table, according to the sources.

Progress in the 2002-2003 Hockey Canada scandal

TSN independently corroborated the account provided by the source who contacted Nater, validating the seriousness of the allegations. Two additional sources, one of whom owned the camera used to record the Hockey Canada scandal incident. These sources, however, chose to remain anonymous due to their concerns about potential repercussions.

Halifax police have made progress in their investigation, having interviewed two of the three sources who corroborated the account. The third source's level of cooperation with the investigation remains unclear.

The hockey community and the broader public are in utter shock as these sexual assault scandals shadow Hockey Canada.