An investigation has reportedly been launched into Western University's women's hockey program after allegations of misconduct - while senior administration at the University appeared to be giving the players the runaround.
TSN's Rick Westhead has reported that the university is looking into head coach Candice Moxley and strength and conditioning coach Jeff Watson.
"Allegations made by players against Moxley include claims that she pressured players to play through injuries and did not act when players told her about Watson’s alleged misconduct," Westhead wrote.
Moxley is also accused of saying she doesn't care about the player's mental health, and criticizing their social media posts while saying their clothes were too revealing.
TSN also reports that multiple players told Moxley that they were being sexually harassed by Watson, including inappropriate touching and comments about the players' bodies.
"The source said when one player told Moxley that Watson had touched them inappropriately when they were working out in the gym, the coach answered that the player should wear longer shorts to avoid the problem," Westhead wrote.
The report says that players on the hockey team went to several administrations to file complaints and when they didn't get responses, they had to take the issue as high as University President Alan Shepard.
The players also notified Christine Stapleton, Western's Director of Sports and Recreation about the allegations before going to Shepard.
Despite the allegations, Moxley has been allowed to continue as Western's women's hockey coach, although she told TSN she is currently on a caregiving leave.
When a player asked during a meeting with administration why Moxley would be given a chance to continue coaching after allegedly ignoring repeated complaints of sexual misconduct, Stapleton did not respond, the sources told TSN.
Western communications issued a statement to London News Today when asked for comment on the investigation:
The safety of our students always comes first and Western has rigorous processes for reviewing and addressing formal complaints.
With the assistance of an external investigator, the university has launched independent reviews to look closely at these matters, and to hear from all impacted parties.
As always, these kinds of reviews are confidential, to respect the privacy of all individuals involved.
