Canadian family sues youth hockey coach over alleged abuse
A Canadian family has filed a $2 million lawsuit against a local minor league hockey coach and several hockey associations over alleged abuse toward their son.
According to the parents, the coach “physically battered” their son during an October practice, and verbally harassed and assaulted him in front of teammates, among other allegations.
A recent story from CBC.ca detailed the lawsuit from the Canadian family. Below is an excerpt from the CBC.ca story.
The coach threatened and/or intimidated the boy, refused or failed to enforce Hockey Canada’s dressing room policy aimed at preventing abuse, and spread false statements about the teen’s father, the claim alleges.
The allegations are in a statement of claim filed on Nov. 30 at the Ontario Superior Court in London by the player’s parents. The son, who is a minor and has the same last name as his parents, is also named as a plaintiff and can’t be identified due to his age.
The allegations have not been proven in court. No statements of defense had been filed at publication time.
The suit names U13 Huron-Perth Lakers head coach Michael Nicoll as a defendant, alongside Huron-Perth Lakers Hockey Association (HPL), Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario, Ontario Minor Hockey Association, Ontario Hockey Federation, and Hockey Canada.