Former NHL player and victims rights advocate Sheldon Kennedy on Tuesday called for the resignation of Hockey Canada¡¯s leadership team in the wake of sexual assault allegations involving two national junior teams.
Kennedy, a co-founder of Respect Group, which is aimed at preventing bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination, issued a statement a day after Hockey Canada unveiled its plan to eliminate ¡°toxic behavioor¡± in the sport.
¡°The same people with a new plan expecting different results is the definition of insanity,¡± Kennedy, who has been a voice for victims following his own experience of being sexually abused by a coach during his junior career, wrote on Twitter.
¡°I call for the resignation of Hockey Canada CEO Scott Smith, his leadership team and the board of directors to resign and step down from their positions immediately.
¡°Enough is enough already.¡±
The 53-year-old Kennedy, who suited up for parts of eight NHL seasons, publicly disclosed in 1996 his story of sexual abuse at the hands of a minor hockey coach.
Smith, who held various Hockey Canada jobs since 1995 before taking over as chief executive officer on July 1, is expected to speak on Wednesday during a Canadian parliamentary hearing on a scandal that has rocked the national governing body.
The Canadian federal government froze funding to Hockey Canada in June over the organization¡¯s handling of an alleged group sexual assault in London, Ontario, involving some members of the 2018 world junior team and out-of-court settlement.
Hockey Canada said last week that it learned of a second allegation of group sexual assault involving some members of the 2003 team during that year¡¯s world junior championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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