The Ontario Hockey League put out a statement that it learned Wednesday of sexual assault allegations from a 32-year-old woman, with the junior-hockey league taking the matter ‘very seriously.’
In a television interview that aired Wednesday in Canada, a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by eight OHL players in 2014 at a house she shared with a 19-year-old hockey player she was dating.
That 19-year-old was playing in the OHL at the time, although it is unclear if he is one of the eight players the woman is accusing of sexual assault.
The woman added that some of the players who allegedly sexually assaulted her went on to play in the NHL.
An NHL statement read that the league’s leadership are ‘deeply troubled by any accusation of this nature. We have no information beyond what was in the media report from (Wednesday) night.’
The OHL is taking new sexual assault allegations against former players ‘very seriously’
None of the woman’s allegations have been tried in court, nor has any report named any of the players accused in the matter.
The woman said she did file a report with Ontario Provincial Police earlier this year.
The OHL is seen as the top junior-hockey league in the world, where many future NHL stars apply their trade before becoming international stars.
Some of the most famous NHL alumni include Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid, Eric Lindros, John Tavares, and Chris Pronger.
There is no indication of what OHL teams had players involved in the incident as well. The OHL is only for players ages 16 through 20.
