‘It's a monster': Vancouver 2010 Olympics boss weighs in on World Cup prep
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
16 minutes ago
- National Post
Terry Newman: Hockey Canada acquittals a reckoning for MeToo excess
Everyone in Canada seems to be living in the upside-down when it comes to the results of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial. Headlines call the outcome everything from a ' crushing day ' to ' absolutely gutting for sexual assault survivors.' Megan Savard, a female lawyer representing one of the players, was criticized for even taking the case solely on the basis of being female. Article content Article content After seven long years, not only did Justice Maria Carroccia deliver verdicts of not guilty on all counts, she went much further, concluding that the complainant in the case had consented. Thursday's ruling is a reckoning — not for Hockey Canada, but for North American society, and the excesses of the MeToo movement. Article content Article content The years leading up to this point included a shady settlement paid out by Hockey Canada without the knowledge of the then junior hockey players who were eventually charged, a mistrial, and two dismissed juries. Article content And after it all, Carroccia found all five accused, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote, not guilty. Article content 'I do not find the evidence of E.M. credible or reliable. The Crown did not meet the onus on any of the counts before me,' she said when delivering her verdict in London, Ont. Thursday morning. Article content 'Much has been made in this case about the concept of consent. This case, on its facts, does not raise issues of the reformulation of the legal concept of consent. In this case, I have found actual consent not vitiated by fear.' Article content Article content In other words, based on inconsistencies in testimony and the evidence provided, Justice Carroccia did not believe sexual assault had taken place. Article content Article content E.M., the complainant, claimed during the trial she had been coerced into non-consensual sexual acts by multiple players in a hotel room, feeling intimidated and unable to leave. The defence, on the other hand, maintained that the acts performed that night were consensual, based on her willingness to engage in the acts and two recorded videos, one in which she said that she was 'okay with this,' and 'it was all consensual.' Article content In her version of the story, E.M. only consented to sex with one of the men, McLeod, who later texted the other men in a group chat to ask if they wanted to join them for group sex. Article content In McLeod's version, when more men arrived in the room, E.M. asked them to have sex with her, was upset when they would not, and offered them oral sex instead. Article content The judge, though, pointed to the inconsistencies between E.M.'s initial 2018 police statement and her 2022 civil suit against the players and Hockey Canada. In the first statement 'she did not describe being scared in the room.' Fear was not mentioned until the civil suit.
CTV News
16 minutes ago
- CTV News
Caitlin Clark's WNBA rookie card fetches US$660,000 at auction in a record-breaking sale
Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark reacts on the sideline during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) Caitlin Clark has set yet another record, this time with her 2024 WNBA rookie card selling for the most money yet for a female athlete at a public auction. Clark's Rookie Royalty WNBA Flawless Logowoman 1/1 card sold Thursday night for US$660,000. That sale price tops the previous mark of $366,000 for Clark's 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA Signatures Gold Vinyl 1/1 PSA 10 in March. The card that sold Thursday night is signed and inscribed with Clark's scoring total for her rookie season. The card also includes a Logowoman patch seen on WNBA jerseys, making such cards a top pick for collectors. This card entered extended bidding at $336,000 before reaching the final sale price. The Flawless Logowoman was one of seven Clark cards sold at Fanatics Collect on Thursday night and one of four cards from Panini America's 2024 Rookie Royalty WNBA collection. Now 14 cards featuring Clark have sold at public auction easily topping her salary this season with the Indiana Fever, with the latest going for more than Clark is scheduled to make over her rookie contract with Indiana. This mark may be challenged Aug. 9 when an Immaculate Logowoman 1/1 Clark card is scheduled for sale. The price for that card was at $180,000 on Thursday night before a buyer's premium on 17 bids. The Associated Press
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Time for Blue Jays to load up at trade deadline: 'We've put ourselves in position'
In what has suddenly been a 12-year major league career, George Springer has seen it all at the flashpoint moment that is baseball's trade deadline. Article content He's seen the Houston Astros attempt to load up for a run at a championship run like they did in 2017, a triumphant season in which the now Blue Jays outfielder/ designated hitter was named World Series MVP. Article content Article content He's seen teams add bit pieces and he's seen other organizations clean house, like the Jays did to some degree on their way to a last-place season just a year ago. Article content And he's seen clubhouses adapt to the changing faces and chemistry that comes along with the pursuit of even bigger goals. Article content 'I think you just keep playing and you keep doing what you need to do,' Springer said in an interview with the Toronto Sun this week, when asked about the mix of anxiety and excitement that builds as the deadline nears. 'You go to war with the guys that are in the locker room every day. And honestly? Whatever happens, happens. Article content 'I can't speak for how anybody else feels, but for me it's just about the guys who are here now and we'll see what happens.' Article content That said, Springer doesn't have his head in the sand. He can read the standing as closely as the next guy. He can feel the buzz building in the city, country and throughout Major League Baseball. And he knows that the Jays have earned the status of pushing general manager Ross Atkins to be an aggressive buyer as next Thursday's deadline rapidly approaches. Article content 'I just think it's cool that we've put ourselves in that position where other people talk about us,' Springer said. 'I know it's not something that's talked about in here. I think guys love each other in here and what we've done so far. I guess (trade deadline talk) is just a byproduct of a lot of hard work and the good things that have come.' Article content When a team keeps winning like the Jays have – now 6-1 out of the All Star break after Thursday's big 11-4 victory over the Tigers in Detroit — it's easy to get excited about the possibilities. Article content 'It's on everybody's mind a little bit,' Jays shortstop Bo Bichette acknowledged during the Yankees series in Toronto earlier in the week. 'We've put ourselves in a position where we think that there should be things done to help us. Article content 'At the same time I think we're so confident in everybody in that room, honestly, that whatever happens we'll continue to come here and just try to win.' Article content Underlying the comments of Springer and Bichette is the expectation in a clubhouse of seeing the front office go if not all in, making additions that will enhance the potential associated with having the best record in the American League (61-42) on Friday. Article content If the Jays are to cement that status and parlay it into some post season success, there are roster needs, starting with a beefing up of the bullpen, especially with the uncertainty around Yimi Garcia's status. Starting depth has to be on Atkins' radar as does an impact bat to further add to the already dynamic Toronto offence.
