TORONTO –
A rising record of top-tier company sponsors are pulling their help for Hockey Canada’s males’s packages for the 2022-23 season amid criticism of the dealing with of alleged sexual assaults.
Telus Corp., Scotiabank and Tim Hortons have denounced the nationwide governing physique’s ongoing resistance to vary and prolonged selections to droop their help of males’s hockey to the upcoming season, together with the upcoming World Juniors event.
The transfer comes as Hockey Canada continues to defend its management and the best way cash was paid out in lawsuits involving allegations of group sexual assaults.
Telus mentioned it is “deeply disheartened” by the dearth of motion and dedication from the sporting physique to drive mandatory cultural change.
The corporate mentioned it stays “dedicated to enabling systemic change to make hockey secure for all.”
The choice by Telus follows related bulletins by Tim Hortons and Scotiabank.
The espresso store chain mentioned Wednesday it additionally will not sponsor any Hockey Canada males’s programming this season, together with the world junior males’s championship in Halifax and Moncton.
Scotiabank mentioned its sponsorship pause of its help for males’s hockey at Hockey Canada, first introduced in June, will stay in impact all through your complete 2022-2023 season.
“In our open letter in June, we publicly referred to as on Hockey Canada to carry the sport to the next customary and we’re dissatisfied with the dearth of progress thus far,” the financial institution mentioned in an announcement.
“From Hockey Canada, we anticipate a tangible dedication to transparency with Canadians, sturdy management, accountability with their stakeholders and the hockey neighborhood, and improved security each on and off the ice. Finally our place hasn’t wavered: the time for change is lengthy overdue.”
In the meantime, two provincial hockey organizations have additionally disavowed Hockey Canada’s dealing with of sexual assault allegations.
Hockey Quebec mentioned this week it has misplaced confidence in Hockey Canada and won’t switch funds to the nationwide group.
The Ontario Hockey Federation, the most important of Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial hockey associations, has additionally requested Hockey Canada a second time to not gather the $3 participant evaluation price from its members for the 2022-23 season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Oct. 6, 2022