A member of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team finally speaks out

The ongoing investigation against members of Hockey Canada's 2018 World Juniors team continues, but today at least one of the team's players is breaking his silence.

Speaking through his agent to TSN"s Rick Westhead, an unnamed player from the team said that he was "unsure of what he witnessed" when he was present during an alleged sexual assault perpetrated by teammates on a non-consenting woman.

“My guy got a text message from one of his teammates that there was a party going on with pizza, so he went up to the room,” the agent said. “He did not know how to process what was going on when he saw what was happening in the room. He did not know if this was consensual group sex or if it was a sexual assault."

“It’s true that he did not intervene and say 'stop'. You can judge him for not intervening. What would you do in the same situation when you were a teenager? Is this something he should lose his career and reputation over?”

The player, whose agent requested anonymity, was interviewed by London, Ont. police officers in late 2018 after a woman alleged that she was sexually assaulted by eight members of the team in a gang rape scenario. London police initially closed the case without filing any criminal charges, but have re-opened the case after it was revealed that Hockey Canada settled out of court with the alleged victim this past May.

“My guy has already spoken with police [in 2018] and he was completely honest with them, and he will be honest when police speak with him again,” the agent said to Westhead. “My understanding is that police will be traveling to do interviews with players in person over the next few weeks.”

So far none of the players implicated have been identified, but several members of the team have come out to exonerate themselves. So far Jordan Kyrou, Taylor Raddysh, Carter Hart, Jake Bean, Kale Clague, Colton Point, Sam Steel, Conor Timmins, Robert Thomas, Victor Mete, Cale Makar, Jonah Gadjovich, Dante Fabbro, Cal Foote, Dillon Dube, Boris Katchouk, Tyler Steenbergen, Brett Howden and Max Comtois have all released statements stating their innocence and, in some cases, ignorance of the allegations. Alex Formenton, Drake Batherson and Michael McLeod are notable players from the team who have yet to make a statement on the allegations.