Gatineau Quebec's Guillaume Donovan, 24, and David Foucher, 25, have been charged in connection with a sexual assault, for an incident in Thunder Bay on Feb. 2.
The two, who played for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees varsity hockey team, were in Thunder Bay for the weekend for two games against Lakehead University.
The two suspects were charged in Ottawa this week after an investigation by Thunder Bay police, with assistance from Ottawa police and the RCMP.
Investigators travelled to Ottawa in March to interview team members, Thunder Bay police said in a statement.
The two suspects will appear in a Thunder Bay court on September 30.
“The charges do not affect the University’s decision to suspend the men’s hockey program for the 2014-2015 season. That decision followed our review of an independent investigator’s report about the events in Thunder Bay,” the university said in a statement released Friday.
The university added that the independent investigator’s report was not focused on whether a criminal offence had been committed. Instead, the focus was on whether the players’ behaviour met the standards of the university.
The University of Ottawa had suspended the team in March after receiving information from a third party about an alleged sexual misconduct incident. The university contacted authorities the next day, and voiced concern it had not been immediately told about the allegations.
Then in June, the university fired the coach and announced that it would be extending the program’s suspension into the 2014-15 season following an internal investigation.
At the time, University of Ottawa President Allan Rock said the head coach was in no way involved with the incident, but that he was fired because he did not immediately inform school authorities upon learning of it, apparently just hours after it allegedly took place.
“The University is rebuilding the men’s varsity hockey program. We are hiring a new coach and putting in place improved policies, including new behavior guidelines for student-athletes,” the University of Ottawa said in its statement on Friday.
