Cornered for weeks and dropped by many sponsors, the Canadian federation announced on Tuesday the resignation of its president, Scott Smith, and of its entire board of directors.

It all started in May, when Canadians were shocked to learn that eight players from the 2018 National Junior Team had been charged with the group sexual assault of a young woman.

And that the federation had covered up the affair by concluding a confidential agreement of several million dollars with the victim.

The settlement was notably paid via a secret fund subsidized in part by the contributions of young Canadian hockey players.

Since in the ice rinks of the country, the disarray is immense.

"It affects more than hockey, it affects the family values ​​that we have to pass on to our children," says Jordan Allard, who came to see his son play.

Tight against each other in the stands of an ice rink north of Montreal, they are several parents to say they are indignant in the face of this scandal which “does not pass”.

"It's not acceptable"

"The people who are at the head of Hockey Canada seem to have condoned sexual crimes and I think the message we have to send to our young people is that this is not acceptable," adds Mr. Allard. .

Parents of young hockey players in Montreal on June 10, 2022. Mathiew LEISER AFP

Parent, coach, but also referee, Martin Pronovost is now ashamed to wear the Hockey Canada logo on his referee jersey.

This former hockey player with a graying beard therefore decided to cross it with a black ribbon to “create discussion and try to educate others”.

"Unfortunately, our national sport is tainted, seriously tainted," he said, adding that there is "a loss of confidence on the part of parents".

And the weeks of denials by the leaders of the federation who have sought to minimize the facts have further shaken the population.

An attitude that prompted sponsors and Ottawa authorities to react on several occasions.

In recent days, sports equipment manufacturers Nike and Bauer and restaurant chain Tim Hortons have withdrawn their support for Hockey Canada's men's program.

The federal government as well as several provincial federations have also cut their subsidies, asking to see real changes.

culture of silence

Especially since several Canadian media revealed that there was not just one secret fund, but two and that they had been used several times.

Some 15 cases of alleged group sexual assaults have been identified since 1989, half of them in the last decade.

And these attacks are reminiscent of the Sheldon Kennedy case, named after a player who was sexually assaulted more than 300 times by his coach in the 1990s.

“Sexual violence has been treated as an insurance problem at Hockey Canada rather than a systemic problem that needs to be addressed at the source,” said federal Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge.

In the country, some do not hesitate to say that it is therefore time to question this sport which is steeped in misogyny, homophobia, violence and racism.

"There's definitely a culture in hockey where some things aren't taken seriously enough because a lot of people are just focused on winning," said Allison Forsyth, a former skier who competed in the Olympics, herself a victim. of sexual assault.

In addition to hockey, many sports have in recent years been splashed by scandals of sexual abuse and assault, such as gymnastics and women's football in the United States or even figure skating in France.

"We need to make major changes to teach our children what is acceptable and what is not," adds the one who promotes healthy sport for all.

A hockey referee wears the logo of the Canadian Federation (Hockey Canada), in Montreal on June 10, 2022. Mathiew LEISER AFP

All this happens at a time when hockey attracts less young people than before, in particular for the benefit of football and basketball.

Although hockey is part of the Canadian landscape, its number of licensees (more than 607,000 in 2019) has been decreasing since 2014, far behind football.

© 2022 AFP