Sawt Falasteen - Four NHL players charged over alleged 2018 gang rape

Attorneys for New Jersey Devils duo Michael McLeod and Cal Foote, along with Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart confirmed the players were among those charged.

Media reports in Canada said Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube had also been charged in connection with the alleged assault.

On Sunday, lawyers for Alex Formenton, a former Ottawa Senators player who now plays in Switzerland, said their client was among "several players" who had been indicted.

In total, eight players have been accused of sexually assaulting a young woman at a London, Ontario hotel after a Hockey Canada gala in June 2018.

"More than five and a half years after the initial complaint (...) to the police, the London Police Department charged Mike McLeod with sexual assault," the player's lawyers David Humphrey and Seth Weinstein said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Mr McLeod denies any criminal wrongdoing. He will plead not guilty and defend himself vigorously," they added.

Megan Savard and Riaz Sayani, attorneys for Hart, said the Philadelphia player had been "indicted for one count of sexual assault."

"He is innocent and will provide a full response to this false allegation in the appropriate forum, a court of law," they said in a statement.

Savard told AFP Hart had surrendered to police and had been released.

Attorneys for New Jersey Devils player Foote confirmed he had been charged with sexual assault but vowed to fight the allegations.

"Cal is innocent of this charge and will defend himself against this allegation to clear his name," attorney Julianna Greenspan said in a statement.

Lawyers for the fourth player named in media reports, Dube, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Canadian police have announced a press conference to take place on February 5 related to the case.

In May 2022, Hockey Canada was rocked by press revelations accusing it of trying to cover up gang rape allegations made by a young woman in 2018.

The federation allegedly sought to keep the incident quiet, reaching a confidential multi-million dollar agreement in 2022 with the victim.

The settlement was paid via a secret fund -- one that was supported in part by fees paid by young Canadian hockey players.

The backlash was swift, fueled further by weeks of denial and obfuscation by federation officials, triggering sponsors and the government to take action.

Police reopened the investigation into the claim in July 2022, while Hockey Canada chief executive Scott Smith was ousted in October of that year in the wake of the scandal.

Canada's government also suspended funding of Hockey Canada for 10 months over the case.

E.AbuRizq--SF-PST