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Five ice hockey players have reportedly been asked to turn themselves in to Canadian police following allegations of sexual assault.

The Toronto-based The Globe and Mail said the anonymous players were given an undisclosed deadline to turn themselves in to police in London, Ontario. In May 2022, it was reported that Hockey Canada paid an undisclosed settlement to a woman who alleged in a lawsuit that she was sexually assaulted by eight players, including members of the country’s world junior team after a gala in 2018. Earlier in 2022, Hockey Canada executives told a parliamentary committee that the organization secretly paid nearly C$9 million (US$6.7 million) to 21 sexual misconduct complainants. No one has ever been criminally charged for the 2018 assault allegations.

Media reports later revealed that young players across the country had unknowingly funded these payments through their Hockey Canada registration fees. According to a Globe and Mail article, Hockey Canada also failed to disclose to Parliament the existence of a second secret fund intended to finance legal efforts to fend off sexual assault claims.

In October 2022, Hockey Canada’s CEO and its entire board of directors resigned due to the governing body’s failure to respond to allegations of sexual assault.

Hockey Canada subsequently commissioned a report into its handling of the 2018 allegations. Police read the document before ordering the players to turn themselves in this week.

Canadian sports have been plagued by reports of abuse in a number of sports other than hockey, including gymnastics, soccer and water polo.

“Abuse is a dirty secret hidden in sport and what people see is just the tip of the iceberg,” Kirsty Duncan, former deputy government leader in Canada’s House of Commons, told the Guardian l ‘last year.

“The problem of sexual assault, abuse and harassment in sport is multifaceted and deep-rooted. This involves assault, abuse and harassment of athletes by coaches and their support staff.