Former Leaf Carlo Calaiacovo is the 1st to speak out on 2003 sex scandal allegations related to 2003 WJC team

Another bomb was dropped on Hockey Canada amidst an already intense investigation regarding the 2018 sexual assault allegations in an incident that featured eight members of the country’s 2018 world junior team, following a gala in London, Ontario.

Many players of that roster came out with statements since the allegations went public. On Friday, Carlo Colaiacovo was the first member of the 2003 roster to comment on the investigation. The former round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2001 made the following statement on his personal Twitter account:

This happened following Hockey Canada making a statement on Friday about the information they received from TSN’s Rick Westhead, learning of an alleged group sexual assault from 2003 involving members of the 2002-03 National Junior Team.

MP John Nater is a member of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, which heard testimony from Hockey Canada officials on June 20 about 2018 sexual assault allegations and their handling of a lawsuit settled in May. Another set of hearings is schedule for July 26-27. The organization says it remains in contact with the Halifax Regional Police upon learning of the allegations (Halifax co-hosted the 2003 world junior championship) and also made Sport Canada aware of the situation.

Before finding out about the incident, Hockey Canada staff had “heard a rumour about ‘something bad at the 2003 World Juniors’” but did not have details.

Calaiacovo is currently co-hosting a show on Canada’s TSN 1050 radio station, First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo. He last played in the NHL in 2015-16 as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.