LONDON, ON — A scandal has rocked Canadian hockey and led to multiple investigations of several prominent players who were on the nation’s gold medal-winning 2018 world junior team, including some who have moved on to the NHL.

The latest developments came Tuesday when lawyers representing four current NHL players said their clients had been charged with sexual assault. A former NHL player surrendered to police Sunday to face a sexual assault charge. The attorneys say their clients are innocent.

about their investigation.

WHAT HAPPENED

A woman sued Hockey Canada in 2022, alleging she was sexually assaulted by eight members of Canada’s world junior team after a fundraising gala in London in 2018. Hockey Canada settled the lawsuit, and then an investigation revealed the organization had two secret slush funds to pay out settlements on claims of sexual assault and abuse.

According to court documents, the woman, then 20, alleged that a man, identified only as “John Doe #1,” took her from a bar to a hotel room and invited seven other men into the room to perform undisclosed sexual acts, intimidating her and preventing her from leaving. The woman said in the lawsuit the men directed her to take a shower and asked her to say on video that she was sober.

The woman sought $3.55 million in damages and dropped the lawsuit after reaching a settlement with Hockey Canada.

London police launched an internal review in July 2022, and the NHL said it would conduct an independent investigation into what happened because some active players were on that team and attended the gala. Commissioner Gary Bettman pledged to release the findings once completed.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly in June said the investigation was complete and expected a report by midsummer that the league would then review. So far, the NHL has not released the findings. Daly said last week the league would issue a statement when it is appropriate.

WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED?

Goaltender Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers has been charged with one count of sexual assault, according to his attorneys, who maintained his innocence. Lawyers representing Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils and Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames also said their clients were charged with sexual assault and denied wrongdoing.