Lawyer: Woman who claims sexual assault by OHL player considers next steps

TORONTO – A lawyer representing a woman who claimed in a CTV report that she was sexually assaulted by eight Ontario Hockey League players in 2014 says her client is now considering how to proceed.

The woman, who used the pseudonym Anne Marie in a W5 report aired on Wednesday, said the alleged incident occurred at a neighborhood home where a 19-year-old player was living at the time, with whom she was in a relationship.

“I know that Anne Marie is trying to change the hockey culture in Canada so that it is not so sexualized and fewer people get hurt,” lawyer Simona Jellinek said Thursday. “I know that’s one of their goals for sure.”

In the report, Anne Marie, now 32, said she reported the alleged incident to Ontario Provincial Police in February. She also said some of the players went on to play in the NHL.

The CTV report did not name the players allegedly involved or the team(s) they played for. None of the allegations have been tested in court.

Jellinek did not want to provide further information about the location of the alleged incident.

“Somewhere in Ontario is really the only thing I can say, just because you can understand, we want to protect Anne Marie’s privacy,” she said in an interview at her law firm in Toronto.

The Ontario Hockey League has 17 teams in the province and three in the United States. Many clubs are located in southern Ontario, but some teams are based further north, including Sudbury, North Bay and Sault Ste. Mary.

In the report, Anne Marie said she also contacted police where the alleged assault occurred, but was told they couldn’t help her either and that she should call police in the community where she now lives lives.

“I know that both times she was very demoralized by the way the police treated her,” Jellinek said.

It was not clear whether Anne Marie had also contacted local authorities.

OPP spokesperson Gosia Puzio told W5 that those who file a report of sexual assault in Ontario must do so with police in the jurisdiction where the alleged assault occurred.

In this case, the report states, a civilian employee violated OPP policy by not speaking to the complainant on the phone until the complainant reached the appropriate person.

It was not clear whether a police report was ever filed in the case. Puzio said in an email to The Canadian Press that the OPP is working on a response statement that will not be available until Friday at the earliest.

The OHL, meanwhile, said it was taking the allegations “very seriously” and would cooperate with any police investigation into the allegations.

In response to the report, the NHL said it was “deeply disturbed by any allegation of this nature. We have no information beyond the contents of Wednesday evening’s media report.”

“These types of cases can range from police investigations and criminal complaints to civil proceedings against the alleged perpetrators or, for example, hockey associations,” said Jellinek. “They could also find a negotiated way to change the hockey culture in Canada.”

“There are lots of different things that can be done. It just depends on the willingness of all parties to find a way that is best for everyone.”

The report of the alleged incident comes as Hockey Canada continues to deal with allegations of sexual assault against players from its 2018 and 2003 junior national teams.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press