NHL shares official findings of the Ian Cole investigation
The Tampa Bay Lightning recently suspended defenseman Ian Cole, with pay, after an anonymous Twitter account claimed that he had groomed and sexually assaulted her when she was underage.
The NHL announced that they had opened an investigation into the matter, and less than a week later, the league reached a decision, and shared the following statement:
The National Hockey League announced today that it had concluded its investigation into anonymous allegations posted on social media against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman lan Cole, having found no evidence to substantiate the allegations.
The investigation of the allegations, which were made anonymously in a social media post on Oct. 7, was conducted by the League's Security and Legal departments.
The investigation included two separate interviews with Mr. Cole as well as interviews with NHL Club personnel and other individuals with potentially relevant information. Further, the investigation included a detailed review of on- line and social media, public data, and court records and law enforcement checks. In addition, despite attempts by the League to make contact with the anonymous source of the social media post, those efforts were unsuccessful.
On the basis of the foregoing, the National Hockey League now considers this matter closed.
The investigation of the allegations, which were made anonymously in a social media post on Oct. 7, was conducted by the League's Security and Legal departments.
The investigation included two separate interviews with Mr. Cole as well as interviews with NHL Club personnel and other individuals with potentially relevant information. Further, the investigation included a detailed review of on- line and social media, public data, and court records and law enforcement checks. In addition, despite attempts by the League to make contact with the anonymous source of the social media post, those efforts were unsuccessful.
On the basis of the foregoing, the National Hockey League now considers this matter closed.
After the victim chose not to make themselves available, the NHL was unable to find any credible information on this matter. The NHL considers this case closed, and Ian Cole is free to resume full activities with the team.
The NHLPA commented on Cole's situation with the following statement:
''Players should never be subject to suspension or discipline in response to unsubstantiated and anonymous allegations [it's] inappropriate and grossly unfair.''
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