Full investigation report on Hawks’ sexual scandal reveals more disturbing details...

This is a tough one to read. So please, be aware that the reports contains disturbing details.

On Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks announced their general manager and president Stan Bowman had stepped down in the wake of an independent investigation into allegations that a then-assistant coach sexually assaulted two players in 2010. The report, called “disturbing and difficult to read” by CEO Danny Wirtz, has been handed over to the NHL. The league shortly after fined the Hawks $2-million for “inadequate procedures and mishandling” of 2010 sexual assault. The allegations came to light this past offseason after a former player filed a lawsuit in Chicago against the franchise. That unnamed player alleges that he reported the abuse to the team and that he was essentially ignored. The player alleges that then team video coach Brad Aldrich had allegedly sexually assaulted him and then threatened him via text messages and other communications against making a complaint. A second former player alleges that he was also sexual assaulted by Aldrich and he also accuses the Blackhawks of covering up the abuse of two players and then granting Aldrich a letter of reference when he left the team quietly in the summer of 2010. That letter gave him the opportunity to go on and find other victims, the lawsuit alleges.

Aldrich would go on to be convicted of abusing a 17 year old hockey player in 2013 after resigning from his position as director of hockey operations at Miami University on Nov. 27, 2012, “under suspicion of unwanted touching of a male adult.”

The report itself was made public and the 107 pages are a tough read. Amongst the shared details, it is revealed how Aldrich used his power to threatened and assault the players:

John Doe stated that Aldrich then began to touch himself and asked John Doe if John Doe was going to touch himself. John Doe recalled that he said “no” to Aldrich, and then Aldrich told John Doe to touch himself. John Doe recalled that he told Aldrich that he was uncomfortable. John Doe stated that he then put his hand into his pants for approximately ten seconds. John Doe recalled asking Aldrich, “happy?” John Doe recalled that Aldrich responded that he was not happy and rolled over on the futon towards John Doe, started to rub JohnDoe’s leg, and tried to start kissing John Doe. John Doe recalled that Aldrich was on John Doe’s right side and that John Doe pushed Aldrich with his left hand as he punched Aldrich on or near Aldrich’s eye with his right hand. John Doe recalled that after he punched Aldrich, Aldrich stood up, grabbed a souvenir Cubs miniature baseball bat that was on either a shelf or window, and told John Doe that John Doe was not going anywhere. John Doe recalled that he was sitting up at this point and froze. John Doe recalled that Aldrich said words to the effect of, “If you don’t lay down and act like you enjoy it, I’ll make sure you never play in the NHL or walk again.” “You can’t tell anyone about this; it is our little secret; no one can find out or I will make sure you never play in the NHL.”

The report makes me want to cry and I was not the victim here. This is absolutely brutal and I am glad something is being done about this. But it is so wrong and nothing can make up for what the victims went through…

The full report can be found here: