The Ontario Hockey League issued a statement saying it learned Wednesday of allegations of sexual assault by a 32-year-old woman, and the junior hockey league took the matter “very seriously.”
In a television interview broadcast Wednesday in Canada, a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by eight OHL players in 2014 in a home 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 accuses of sexual assault.
The woman added that some of the players who allegedly sexually assaulted her went on to play in the NHL.
A statement from the NHL said league officials are “deeply concerned by any allegations of this nature.” We have no more information than what appeared in the (Wednesday) night’s media report.
OHL takes new accusations of sexual assault 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 filed a report with the Ontario Provincial Police earlier this year.
The OHL is considered the largest junior hockey league in the world, where many future NHL stars apply their craft 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 which OHL teams had players also involved in the incident. The OHL is only for players ages 16 to 20.