The Tampa Bay Lightning suspended defenseman Ian Cole after a female implicated him on social networks of sexually abusing her when she was underaged, the group stated Sunday night.
The Lightning, who raised the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 prior to falling in the last this previous season, open the 2022-23 project in New York City Tuesday versus the Rangers.
“The Tampa Bay Lightning understands the claims versus gamer Ian Cole and are working together completely with the NHL on an examination. Our company takes these claims extremely seriously,” stated a group declaration.
“While we continue to collect more information, we have actually chosen to suspend Ian Cole, with pay, pending the outcomes of an examination. No members of the company, consisting of gamers, will comment even more at this time.”
The 33-year-old Michigan local stated he’ll work together with detectives and rejects the claims.
“I take the claims made versus me today in a confidential tweet extremely seriously. I entirely reject these claims and will completely work together with the NHL and the Tampa Bay Lightning, their authorities and legal departments in the upcoming examination,” Cole stated in a declaration.
“I eagerly anticipate clearing my name and showing to the NHL and the Tampa Bay Lightning that these claims are unproven. I will have no additional remark till the NHL’s examination concludes.”
Cole’s suspension is the most recent off-the-rink event that’s triggered organizations and leaders within the sport to question their handling of sexual assault at essentially every level of hockey.
Over the weekend, Hockey Canada revealed that interim chair Andrea Skinner resigned as the governing board addresses numerous sexual attack claims by the nation’s world junior group.
The greatest levels of Canadian federal government have actually questioned whether the sport’s governing body has actually done enough to suppress sexual attack.
Skinner stated she’s striven “to make the video game more safe, available, inclusive and inviting.”
“I am grateful to the Members of Hockey Canada for choosing me to the Board of Directors and offering me with the chance to make favorable modification for our video game and for Hockey Canada,” she stated in a declaration launched through Hockey Canada.
“Upon reflection, it is clear to me from current occasions that it no longer makes good sense for me to continue to offer my time as Interim Chair or as a Director of the company.”
And in 2015, the name of previous Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach, Brad Aldrich, was obscured from the Stanley Cup after he was implicated of sexual attack. The claims caused the group’s basic supervisor to resign.
Aldrich decreased to comment Monday on the claims made by the previous Blackhawks gamer.
If you or somebody you understand has actually been sexually attacked, call the National Sexual Attack Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. The hotline, run by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), can put you in contact with your regional rape crisis center. You can likewise access RAINN’s online chat service at https://www.rainn.org/get-help. Confidential talks are readily available in English and in Spanish.
The Associated Press contributed.
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