The Hockey Federation of Canada (Hockey Canada) announced on Tuesday the appointment of Katherine Henderson as its head, with the desire to move forward after a sexual assault scandal came to shake the national sport last year.
After seven years at the head of the national curling federation, where she carried out important reforms, the new leader will take up her position from September 4. She will be the first woman to hold this position permanently.
“The future of hockey is limitless,” Katherine Henderson said in a statement, noting that she would seek “to ensure that all Canadians have an experience with this sport that is suitable for each and every one” .
Recognized internationally for her commitment to equity and inclusion in sport, she successfully reformed Curling Canada by bringing pay equity between women’s and men’s teams, welcoming more Canadians to the sport and leading to a successful financial turnaround of the organization’s business model.
“Katherine has the track record and the experience to lead the transformation of Hockey Canada,” said Hugh L. Fraser, Chair of Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors.
In May 2022, the Canadian Hockey Federation was rocked by revelations in the press accusing it of trying to hide an alleged gang rape case involving eight players from the 2018 national junior team.
The federation had then tried to stifle the case by concluding a confidential agreement of several million dollars with the victim.
The settlement had notably been paid via a secret fund subsidized in part by the contributions of young Canadian hockey players. A second fund also intended to compensate victims of sexual assault was then revealed by the media.
The scandal led to the resignation of the board and then longtime CEO Scott Smith. Major sponsors as well as the federal government have also frozen their funding.
The federation has since undertaken to undertake a total overhaul of its mode of governance and to respect the new federal conditions.
She became a signatory to the Sport Sans Abuse program, implemented the recommendations of an independent governance review and provides frequent updates to Ottawa.
The federal government restored its funding in April and equipment manufacturer Bauer Hockey, a major sponsor of the federation, announced that it would resume its partnership with Hockey Canada following the appointment of Katherine Henderson.