• A judge declared a mistrial in the case against five former members of Canada's junior hockey team.
• The mistrial was declared two days into the trial and new jury selection will begin shortly.
• The accused players have all pleaded not guilty to the charges of sexual assault.
• The incident in question took place in June 2018 in London, Ontario.
• This case has sparked significant public interest and criticism of Hockey Canada.

A Canadian judge has declared a mistrial in the case involving five former members of the world junior ice hockey team accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room in 2018. Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia announced this decision on Friday, just two days after the trial had commenced, discharging the jurors without providing a specific reason, which remains confidential due to a publication ban, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and BBC.

The accused, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Carter Hart, and Alex Formenton, each face one count of sexual assault, with McLeod also charged as a party to the offense. All five have pleaded not guilty, according to Reuters and BBC.

The charges stem from an incident that allegedly occurred following a Hockey Canada gala in June 2018 in London, Ontario. The woman involved had initially filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada, claiming she had been assaulted by multiple players in a hotel room that night. This case has raised crucial questions about Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual assault allegations, especially after it was revealed that the organization settled quietly with the accuser, leading to significant public backlash and loss of funding, as reported by BBC and Reuters.

The mistrial ruling requires a new jury to be selected, with the new trial expected to commence soon, although the delay has already raised concerns over the trial’s impact on public perception and trust in athletic institutions, according to Channel News Asia and BBC.