No shortage of reaction following 2003 World Junior allegations

Halifax Regional Police are continuing their investigation following an allegation that a group of Team Canada hockey players sexually assaulted a woman during the 2003 World Junior Hockey Championship.

“It’s hard to fathom that this would happen to what I think is the greatest sport on earth,” said Toronto Metropolitan University women's hockey coach Lisa Haley, who has served in numerous roles with Hockey Canada.

"I was there in 2003 and I watched those games," said Haley who is from Nova Scotia. "I volunteered in my role as a certified athletic therapist at the time and it was an honour to be a part of that event.”

A new action plan has been unveiled by Hockey Canada to address what it calls “toxic behaviours” within the game.

In a statement, the sport's governing body said the plan highlights, “the need to do more to address the behaviours that are undermining what are many good things the game brings to our country."

“There needs to be a hard reset on a full reflection of how we wound up in the situation," said Haley. "Obviously they were missteps along the way, but I see Hockey Canada trying to go down that part of the journey right now, and I just think it’s going to be a long road.”

Carlo Colaiacovo, a 2003 World Junior player, posted on Twitter about the alleged incident “I had no involvement or knowledge of any incidents whatsoever,” he wrote.

Social media expert Giles Crouch has been monitoring Hockey Canada‘s reaction to the allegation.

“They are not really getting out in front of it like they should," said Crouch. "If they were smart, they would acknowledge the issue more so on social media than they are.”

There had been a lot of fan excitement about the upcoming 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship scheduled for Halifax and Moncton.

Crouch said the event could still be a huge success but he’s already seeing messages on social media that suggest there has been a change in tone.

“Leading up to and during the event, through social media channels, Hockey Canada is going to face an absolutely brutal punishment by society about what‘s happening," said Crouch.

Haley has concerns about the sport that go beyond just the World Junior Hockey Championship.

“This has really tainted the lens of how we are viewed as a hockey nation," said Haley.

She said it will take a thorough investigation into these allegations to re-establish a level of trust within the hockey community.