When the other team has more errors than hits, you really should win. And we did. The Tigers made 4 errors and had 3 hits.
José Berríos had a very nice day. He went 7 innings, allowing just 3 hits, 1 earned run on a Javier Báez home run (Javier had 3 long flies just foul in his first at-bat before walking, as much as he tried to walk on three balls. The two are brother-in-laws), 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.
José came out of the game at 86 pitches. He likely could have gone longer, but a hot day in Toronto might as well not stress him.
Tim Mayza and Jordan Romano (save number 24) finished the game.
On offence, we got another home run from Matt Chapman (his 20th), a two-run homer, in the second inning.
And we got two more in the fifth. Cavan Biggio had a one-out walk. A throwing error on a pick-off moved him to second. And Vlad Guerrero doubled him out. An out later, Bo Bichette doubled home Vlad.
We only had 6 hits. Chapman had two. But the four Tiger errors helped:
Robbie Grossman had a Vladimir Guerrero line drive go off his glove. It was hit really hard, but a major league outfielder should make that catch.
Báez had two errors. One a missed catch on a Bo hit (Bo should have made it to second but didn’t run out it) and a throw wide of first).
And the wild pick-off throw.
Jays of the Day: Berríos (.277 WPA), Chapman (.198) and Vlad (.136)
Kirk got the Suckage number at -.097.
The Jays have tomorrow off and then two games at the house of horrors in St. Petersburg.
Former President Donald Trump plays in the pro-am round of the Bedminster Invitational LIV Golf tournament in Bedminster, NJ., Thursday, July 28, 2022.AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Tickets for the LIV golf tour at a Trump golf course are being sold for as little as $1.
The controversial Saudi-backed event has drawn light crowds, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Trump has faced criticism for hosting the event because of the Arab kingdom's human rights record.
Tickets for the Saudi-backed LIV golf tournament at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, are selling for as little as $1, as the controversial event fails to draw large crowds, a report says.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Saturday tickets were sold for as little as $1 on the ticket website StubHub, and "light crowds were spread across much of the vast grounds."
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversees Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, which is bankrolling the event.
Former President Donald Trump has faced criticism for hosting the event at one of his golf courses in light of allegations of human rights abuses against the Arab kingdom, such as the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The 9/11 Justice group, composed of family members of 9/11 victims, has criticized Trump for hosting the tournament despite what they describe as "clear" evidence linking Saudi Arabia to the terrorist attack.
Some 9/11 family members and survivors protested near the event on Thursday.
Family members and survivors from the organization 9/11 Justice protest against the Saudi Arabian-funded golf series and its tournament being held at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., July 29, 2022.Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
Trump made various remarks to reporters throughout the event, The Wall Street Journal said, including talking about Trump Doral, his Miami property that will host a second LIV event this year.
When asked how much he was being paid to work with LIV, Trump said it was "very generous" but added, "I don't do it for that," per the outlet.
In a video posted on Twitter, a heckler yells at golfer Phil Mickelson as he prepared to tee off.
"Do it for the Saudi royal family!" yelled the heckler, part of a comedy duo called The Good Liars, known for pranking public figures.
While speaking to reporters from the golf course on Thursday, Trump defended Saudi Arabia and claimed that "nobody's gotten to the bottom of 9/11."
In their open letter to Trump, the 9/11 Justice group noted that in a 2016 interview, Trump blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack.
Despite the criticisms, Trump has participated in the event, playing alongside his son Eric and LIV golfers.
He previously told The Wall Street Journal that he believed the tournament has been an "incredible investment" for the "image of Saudi Arabia."
LONDON (AP) — England beat Germany 2-1 in the final of the European Championship after extra time on Sunday to win its first major women’s soccer title.
Chloe Kelly scored the winning goal on a rebound in the second half of extra time after Germany failed to clear a corner. The game had finished 1-1 after 90 minutes at Wembley Stadium with Lina Magull for Germany canceling out Ella Toone's goal for England.
After the final whistle, the England players danced and the crowd sang their anthem “Sweet Caroline.” The good-natured atmosphere inside the stadium Sunday drew contrasts with the violent scenes when the England men’s team lost its European Championship final to Italy at the same stadium a year ago.
The tournament-record crowd of more than 87,000 underlined the growth of women’s soccer in Europe since the last time England and Germany played for a continental title 13 years ago.
On that occasion, Germany surged to a 6-2 win over an England team which still relied on part-time players. Two years later, England launched its Women’s Super League, which has professionalized the game and grown into one of the main competitions worldwide.
That has meant increasing competition for Germany, which was a pioneering nation in European women’s soccer and increasingly faces well-funded rivals in England, Spain and France.
Ella Toone latched onto a long pass from Keira Walsh to get in behind the German defense in the 62nd minute and cleverly sent a lobbed shot over goalkeeper Merle Frohms and into the net for the opening goal.
Toone's goal, six minutes after she entered the game from the bench, sparked celebrations as England manager Sarina Wiegman — the winning coach with the Netherlands in 2017 — raised both arms in joy.
Facing its first defeat in nine European finals, Germany came close when Lea Schüller hit the post and then leveled the score in the 79th when Lina Magull knocked a low cross past England goalkeeper Mary Earps, taking the game to extra time.
When the game went to extra time there were echoes of another European Championship final at the same venue the year before, when the England men’s team had a 1-0 lead but lost on penalties to Italy.
Germany was without captain Alexandra Popp — the team’s leading scorer with six goals — after she reported a muscle problem in the warmup. She was replaced in the lineup by Schüller while Svenja Huth took over as captain.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
With birdies on four of his last five holes, Taylor Pendrith has put himself 18 holes away from his first PGA Tour victory. The Richmond Hill, Ont., native heads to Sunday tied with Tony Finau at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. If it’s anything like Saturday, the final round should be a birdie-fest.
“Obviously this course has shown some low scores, so you've got to just keep making birdies if you want to stay in it,” said Pendrith.
No one in the field has made more birdies this week than the Canadian, who has 25 through three rounds including eight on Saturday as he and Finau battled back and forth all day.
After making a bogey on the par-4 13th hole when his tee shot sailed left and ended up behind a tree, Pendrith rallied, adding birdies on the next three holes – a par-5, a par-3 and a par-4. He made one more on the final hole, knocking in a 10-footer to go to 21-under par.
“Thirteen, just kind of hit a poor tee ball and maybe got a little bit of a bad break right behind the tree,” explained Pendrith. “To get three in a row after that was a big momentum boost and obviously set myself up nicely for tomorrow with those three holes, and to get one on the last was great.”
Finau, who won the 3M Championship last week, tried to keep pace with the Canadian, making seven birdies as the two long-hitters went back and forth all day.
“Obviously he made a ton of birdies and I finished the round with a lot of birdies, so it was fun,” said Pendrith. “We were going back and forth. Tony bombs it off the tee and I hit it far as well, so it was fun, kind of similar games I guess, and we attacked it very well.”
For his day, Pendrith missed just three fairways and only two greens. He’s been getting performance right through the bag sitting fourth in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, second in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green and third in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Pendrith’s career has been one of resilience. He attended Kent State University where he roomed with Corey Conners for four years. Both appeared headed for big things after graduation but while Conners followed a steady path to the PGA Tour and a lofty spot on the Official World Golf Ranking, Pendrith battled injuries and spent time going between PGA Tour Canada and the Korn Ferry Tour. After two years spent on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 and 2021 when COVID stopped any promotion from the junior tour, he finally graduated to the PGA Tour this season.
But the hard luck continued to plague his career. After a good start that included a shot at a first win at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in October when he held the 54-hole lead, Pendrith broke a rib during the Players Championship, putting him on the shelf for three and a half months. Now, in his comeback, he has put himself in position to solidify his talent with a victory.
“I probably have more pressure just because I've never won before and Tony's a multiple winner and he won last week and he's playing great,” Pendrith said. “I've got a nice opportunity tomorrow being tied with him going into Sunday, so there's 18 holes of golf left and who knows what will happen. I feel like my game's in a good spot, I'm driving it well, I'm hitting my wedges good, it's nice to see some putts go in. We'll see. It will be a fun experience and just looking forward to competing and see what happens.”
Despite the two being four shots ahead of the rest of the field, Finau warned that with the golf club giving up low rounds, it might be easy for the two front-runners to get lapped by a player back in the field.
“Taylor's playing some great golf,” he stated. “I can't say pulled away from the guys, this is the type of golf course where someone can shoot eight, nine, 10 under, but if we put together a good round tomorrow, might be a two-man race and I'm looking forward to the challenge again.”
A win would give Pendrith a bundle or rewards including a $1.5 million cheque. He would earn a two-year exemption on Tour as well as an exemption into the Masters, and the Sentry Tournament of Champions. He’d also become just the 16th Canadian to win on the PGA Tour and the first since Nick Taylor’s victory at Pebble Beach in 2020.
Fulmer, 29, has played his entire career with the Tigers. He won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2016 and followed it up by earning an all-star nod in 2017.
The right-handed pitcher underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019, missing the entire campaign.
This season, Fulmer has a 2.77 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched for the 41-60 Tigers, who are expected to be sellers at the deadline. Fulmer threw a perfect eighth inning against the Blue Jays on Friday.
The Blue Jays are widely considered to need a bullpen boost heading into the last part of the season. Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith wrote Wednesday he'd "be surprised if their bullpen doesn't look different in a week."
Watch the Toronto Blue Jays host the Detroit Tigers live Saturday on Sportsnet or Sportsnet NOW starting at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT.
REGINA -- It took a little while but the B.C. Lions offence continued to roll in a 32-17 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday.
The Lions fell behind 17-4 in the second quarter but responded with 28 unanswered points to improve their record to 5-1 while dropping the Riders to 4-4.
Nathan Rourke, who continues to shine in his first season as the starting quarterback, said that while there was some concern about the slow start, the Lions were confident they could find their way as the game progressed.
``There was nothing special (to the comeback). They were just there making some plays and we just needed to execute at (a) higher level. We're very confident that when we execute to the best of our abilities, nobody can get in our way except ourselves,'' said Rourke.
``Credit to Saskatchewan, they made some great plays early on but we found a way. I'm extremely proud of the guys for doing so.''
Like Rourke, defensive lineman Mathieu Betts was confident the Lions had the time and ability to turn the game around.
``The vibe was good even though we were down, but the way Number 12 can play, we know we're always in the game. We really didn't change anything defensively. We had a couple of tweaks that we had to do and just try to reset and do our best to try to give the offence the ball back and that's what we did,'' said Betts.
B.C. entered the game with only four sacks allowed in its first five games. Anthony Lanier and Charleston Hughes picked up sacks for the Riders in the early going, but the Lions offensive line regained its composure and provided Rourke with outstanding protection for the rest of the game.
``They did a great job. They didn't blink early in the game. It was a rough start and they'd be the first ones to tell you that. But they certainly got together,'' said Rourke.
``That's a very talented defensive line in Saskatchewan . . . We knew our offensive line was going to have their hands full and they did a really good job handling that and getting better as the game went on. That was a big key to us turning things around.''
The Lions, who are chasing the undefeated Winnipeg Blue Bombers for first place in the West Division, haven't started a season at 5-1 since 2007 when they topped the division with a 14-3-1 record.
Friday's game was the first of three scheduled meetings between the teams in a five-week stretch. Rourke wasn't ready to admit that Friday's victory gives the Lions a leg up on the Riders heading into the two upcoming games.
``I think every game that we play, whether it's East or West, are important (but) the West games are especially important,'' said Rourke. ``It's not easy to beat a team once, never mind three times during a season.''
Rourke continued to live up to the hype Friday by completing 27 of 33 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 1,941 yards on 153-of-193 passing with 16 touchdowns.
The Lions have a talented group of receivers which will only get better next week with the expected return of veteran Bryan Burnham who has been sidelined since June 25 with fractured ribs and a punctured lung.
The Riders are heading into a bye week after working through a couple of rough weeks. They were hit with a COVID-19 outbreak following their July 16 game in Halifax against Toronto that left them undermanned for last week's return game against the Argos. They also had to deal with high profile suspensions of defensive tackle Garrett Marino (four games) and receiver Duke Williams (one game).
Quarterback Cody Fajardo, who missed last week's game because of COVID protocols, suffered damage to his medial collateral ligament (MCL) in Week 2 and has been wearing a large brace in every game since.
Despite those issues, the Lions weren't about to underestimate Fajardo.
``Fajardo is a good quarterback in this league. He's obviously a great athlete, so that's how I'm treating him . . . If he's out there, he must be ready to roll and be the guy to give them the best chance to win the game so that's how we treated him,'' said Betts.
The Lions got touchdowns from Rourke on a one-yard run along with a 15-yard reception from Jevon Cottoy and a 14-yard catch by Dominique Rhymes. Kicker Sean Whyte had field goals of 16 and 39 yards and added a single on a miss from 46 yards. Stefan Flintoft had two singles on kickoffs. The Lions also got a safety when Marcus Sayles tackled Riders running back Jamal Morrow in the end zone in the second quarter.
Betts had two sacks with Obum Gwacham and Tibo Debaille collecting one sack each. Former Rider Loucheiz Purifoy had an interception for the Lions.
Fajardo, on a one-yard run, and Tevin Jones, on an eight-yard reception, scored touchdowns for Saskatchewan. Brett Lauther added a 28-yard field goal.
REGINA — It took a little while but the B.C. Lions offence continued to roll in a 32-17 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday.
The Lions fell behind 17-4 in the second quarter but responded with 28 unanswered points to improve their record to 5-1 while dropping the Riders to 4-4.
Nathan Rourke, who continues to shine in his first season as the starting quarterback, said that while there was some concern about the slow start, the Lions were confident they could find their way as the game progressed.
“There was nothing special (to the comeback). They were just there making some plays and we just needed to execute at (a) higher level. We’re very confident that when we execute to the best of our abilities, nobody can get in our way except ourselves,” said Rourke.
“Credit to Saskatchewan, they made some great plays early on but we found a way. I'm extremely proud of the guys for doing so.”
Like Rourke, defensive lineman Mathieu Betts was confident the Lions had the time and ability to turn the game around.
“The vibe was good even though we were down, but the way Number 12 can play, we know we’re always in the game. We really didn't change anything defensively. We had a couple of tweaks that we had to do and just try to reset and do our best to try to give the offence the ball back and that's what we did,” said Betts.
B.C. entered the game with only four sacks allowed in its first five games. Anthony Lanier and Charleston Hughes picked up sacks for the Riders in the early going, but the Lions offensive line regained its composure and provided Rourke with outstanding protection for the rest of the game.
“They did a great job. They didn't blink early in the game. It was a rough start and they'd be the first ones to tell you that. But they certainly got together,” said Rourke.
“That’s a very talented defensive line in Saskatchewan . . . We knew our offensive line was going to have their hands full and they did a really good job handling that and getting better as the game went on. That was a big key to us turning things around.”
The Lions, who are chasing the undefeated Winnipeg Blue Bombers for first place in the West Division, haven’t started a season at 5-1 since 2007 when they topped the division with a 14-3-1 record.
Friday’s game was the first of three scheduled meetings between the teams in a five-week stretch. Rourke wasn’t ready to admit that Friday’s victory gives the Lions a leg up on the Riders heading into the two upcoming games.
“I think every game that we play, whether it's East or West, are important (but) the West games are especially important,” said Rourke. “It’s not easy to beat a team once, never mind three times during a season.”
Rourke continued to live up to the hype Friday by completing 27 of 33 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 1,941 yards on 153-of-193 passing with 16 touchdowns.
The Lions have a talented group of receivers which will only get better next week with the expected return of veteran Bryan Burnham who has been sidelined since June 25 with fractured ribs and a punctured lung.
The Riders are heading into a bye week after working through a couple of rough weeks. They were hit with a COVID-19 outbreak following their July 16 game in Halifax against Toronto that left them undermanned for last week’s return game against the Argos. They also had to deal with high profile suspensions of defensive tackle Garrett Marino (four games) and receiver Duke Williams (one game).
Quarterback Cody Fajardo, who missed last week’s game because of COVID protocols, suffered damage to his medial collateral ligament (MCL) in Week 2 and has been wearing a large brace in every game since.
Despite those issues, the Lions weren’t about to underestimate Fajardo.
“Fajardo is a good quarterback in this league. He's obviously a great athlete, so that’s how I'm treating him . . . If he’s out there, he must be ready to roll and be the guy to give them the best chance to win the game so that’s how we treated him,” said Betts.
The Lions got touchdowns from Rourke on a one-yard run along with a 15-yard reception from Jevon Cottoy and a 14-yard catch by Dominique Rhymes. Kicker Sean Whyte had field goals of 16 and 39 yards and added a single on a miss from 46 yards. Stefan Flintoft had two singles on kickoffs. The Lions also got a safety when Marcus Sayles tackled Riders running back Jamal Morrow in the end zone in the second quarter.
Betts had two sacks with Obum Gwacham and Tibo Debaille collecting one sack each. Former Rider Loucheiz Purifoy had an interception for the Lions.
Fajardo, on a one-yard run, and Tevin Jones, on an eight-yard reception, scored touchdowns for Saskatchewan. Brett Lauther added a 28-yard field goal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2022
Warning: This story contains graphic details that may be disturbing to some readers
MPs called Hockey Canada executives before a parliamentary committee this week and made them swear under oath to tell the truth about an explosive scandal that is shaking the sports world.
The controversy started in May when Hockey Canada reached a settlement with a young woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted in London, Ont. in 2018 by eight Canadian Hockey League (CHL) hockey players, including members of the World Junior team.
Hockey Canada's CFO Brian Cairo told MPs the organization settled the lawsuit because it was "the right thing to do" for the complainant and his organization.
"We didn't know all the details of the night, but we did believe harm was caused," said Cairo Wednesday.
The CHL said that if players are found to have broken the law, they will face criminal penalties and severe sanctions from the league.
As more and more critics call on Hockey Canada's leaders to resign, the organization's president and CEO Scott Smith has said he won't step down unless he's told to by the board of directors. Addressing the committee on Wednesday, he admitted that "many of the actions we are taking now should have been taken sooner, and faster."
Over the past two months, Sport Canada — a branch of the federal Department of Heritage — has frozen its funding to Hockey Canada. Sponsors have dropped out and another, earlier allegation of sexual assault has surfaced.
Conservative MP John Nater rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Police in Halifax have opened an investigation into an allegation of a separate group sexual assault involving hockey players in 2003.
TSN reports that a source contacted Conservative MP John Nater and described a video showing about six players who were with Canada's world junior team at the time having sex with a woman who was non-responsive and lying face up on a pool table.
WATCH: Hockey Canada has paid 21 sexual misconduct settlements since 1989
Hockey Canada has paid 21 settlements for sexual misconduct since 1989
2 days ago
Duration 2:58
Hockey Canada officials revealed the organization has paid out nearly $9 million in settlements since 1989 to 21 people alleging sexual misconduct.
During seven hours of testimony on Hockey Canada's handling of the alleged 2018 case this week, the minister in charge of Sports Canada and Hockey Canada's leadership revealed new information about the claims, what they knew and the scope of the organization's culture problem.
Here's what you need to know.
What are the allegations?
A woman who was 20 at the time alleges eight unnamed CHL players, including some on Canada's U20 men's world junior hockey team, sexually assaulted her on June 19, 2018, according to her statement of claim filed in a $3.5 million lawsuit in April 2022.
World Juniors champions were in London, Ont. at that time as part of the Hockey Canada Foundation Gala and Golf event.
The woman alleges an unnamed hockey player bought her alcoholic drinks at a local bar. She claims that she became visibly drunk and was seen stumbling and slurring her speech.
The statement of claim alleges the complainant went to the player's hotel room and engaged in sexual acts. At some point, says the statement of claim, the player allowed seven others to enter the room without her "knowledge or consent." The statement of claim said the men brought "golf clubs with them, knowing it would further frighten and intimidate her."
Over several hours, according to the statement of claim, the group of hockey players placed their genitals on her face, slapped her buttock, spit on her, ejaculated on her and engaged in vaginal intercourse while she was too intoxicated to consent.
The young woman said at some points she was crying and tried to leave the room but was "directed, manipulated and intimidated into remaining," her statement of claim said.
"Any reasonable person, acting reasonably, would have concluded that [she] was not freely consenting in those circumstances and would have ceased the confinement of [her] and the sexual behaviours toward her," says the statement of claim.
The claim says that after the sexual assault ended, the players filmed the young woman, instructed her to say she was sober and told her to shower.
The statement of claim also alleges the players pressured the young woman not to report the allegations or cooperate with a police investigation.
Hockey Canada's handling of a 2018 sexual assault claim has led critics to call on the organization's leaders to quit. (@HockeyCanada/Twitter)
Hockey Canada is accused in the statement of claim of failing to address systemic abuse in its organization and condoning a "culture and environment that glorified the degradation and sexual exploitation of young women."
The claims have not been proven in court. Hockey Canada did not file a statement of defence.
CBC News has contacted the woman's lawyer, who said she has not been commenting publicly on the case. Hockey Canada has since announced an action plan to change what it calls its "toxic" culture.
How much compensation did the complainant receive?
The young woman claimed damages of about $3.5 million in her statement of claim.
Smith said Hockey Canada's board of directors agreed to pay the claimant up to $3.5 million.
As part of the settlement, the woman signed a non-disclosure agreement which puts strict limits on what she can say about the matter.
Who has been accused?
The players accused have not been named publicly.
There were about 22 players on the world junior team in 2018 and all of them had signed professional contracts. Two players on the team ended up returning to the CHL.
A third-party investigator hired by Hockey Canada to look into the matter told MPs a lawyer for the players said they fear they're being pre-judged as guilty.
Multiple players from the team have released statements since May saying they were not at the event in London, or were not involved in what happened, or were unaware of what happened.
What happened to the criminal investigation?
London police closed the investigation into the 2018 allegations in February 2019 without laying any criminal charges.
Following an eruption of public outrage, London's police chief announced last week that it would conduct an internal review to "determine what, if any, additional investigative avenues exist."
What happened to Hockey Canada's investigation?
Hockey Canada contacted the well-known criminal defence firm Henein Hutchison for legal advice on June 19, 2018 after learning of the allegations. The firm advised Hockey Canada to contact police.
Two days later, according to the law firm, Hockey Canada retained the firm to conduct a third party investigation with a mandate to discover the truth and identify any systemic or policy issues.
One of the firm's partners, Danielle Robitaille, led the investigation and reported that in 2018 she interviewed 10 out of 19 players who attended the event, along with coaches and staff. Nine of the players — along with the complainant — said they won't participate in the law firm's probe until the police investigation is complete.
WATCH: Hockey Canada will ban players who don't cooperate with investigation, lawyer says
Lawyer Danielle Robitaille says Hockey Canada will ban players who do not participate in investigation
3 days ago
Duration 1:17
Robitaille appeared before a standing House of Commons committee examining allegations of sexual abuse in the sport. Robitaille said legal counsel for eight of the nine players with whom she hasn't spoken told her they're concerned about being pre-judged by Hockey Canada.
When the criminal case closed, Robitalle said, she focused for 18 months on convincing the complainant to participate in her investigation.
The firm closed its investigation in Sept. 2020 "without prejudice to reopening it later" because the complainant declined to provide her account of what happened, said Robitaille.
Robitaille said she concluded she should not interview the rest of the players without speaking to the complainant because she "needed her version of events to push forward in my investigation."
Henein Hutchison reopened the investigation in July after the complainant said she was prepared to participate. The complainant has since provided a statement to the law firm.
What did Sport Canada know?
Hockey Canada told Sport Canada about the allegation in 2018, but the department never informed the federal minister of sport's office.
About a weekbefore Sport Canada was notified about the alleged 2018 incident, then-sport minister Kirsty Duncan announced a new directive ordering all federally-funded sport organizations to disclose to her office "any incident of harassment, abuse or discrimination that could compromise the project or programming."
Michel Ruest, Sport Canada's senior director, told MPs that no one at Sport Canada notified the minister's office of the case or followed up with Hockey Canada over the past four years to find out what had happened.
Current Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge has said she did not know of the allegations until this year. St-Onge announced in June that, going forward, Sport Canada will have to inform her of all such allegations.
WATCH: Sport Canada knew of allegations as early as 2018
Sport Canada knew about Hockey Canada allegations as early as 2018
3 days ago
Duration 2:05
Sport Canada, a federal department, knew in 2018 about sexual misconduct allegations at Hockey Canada, but did not investigate, an official tells a House of Commons committee. Meanwhile, the federal minister of sport testifies that she was not informed until last year.
How much has Hockey Canada paid to settle sexual abuse claims?
Hockey Canada has paid $8.9 million to 21 complainants since 1989. This figure does not include the settlement connected to the 2018 alleged group sexual assault case.
The bulk of the money — $6.8 million — was compensation for complainants in the case of Graham James, a former junior ice hockey coach who was accused of sexually abusing players on his teams.
Hockey Canada said it believed that all the recipients of its compensation signed non-disclosure agreements as part of their settlement agreements which restrict what they can say publicly.
Another $1.3 million came from Hockey Canada's insurance, its officials told the committee.
Like many sports organizations, Hockey Canada has an insurance policy to cover sexual misconduct claims. AIG Canada is the provider.
Hockey Canada officials told MPs that they didn't think the claim related to the alleged 2018 incident would be covered entirely by insurance and didn't want to wait up to two years to find out. Hockey Canada said it asked AIG if it could settle the matter on its own and was given permission.
The hockey organization said it now wants to recover the money it spent on the 2018 settlement from AIG.
Why is the National Equity Fund used to pay out settlements?
Cairo told MPs the fund was set up in 1995 because its commercial liability insurance doesn't cover all risk.
The insurance companies were not going to insure Hockey Canada for things like the Graham James case, he said.
Barry Lorenzetti, CEO of Hockey Canada's insurance broker BFL Canada, told MPs it's normal for large companies to maintain funds to cover uninsured losses and prudent risk management.
Has anyone resigned?
Calls are mounting for senior leaders at Hockey Canada to step down. A number of MPs from different parties said the public's trust in the organization has evaporated.
Former NHL player and child advocate Sheldon Kennedy speaks during a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Smith told MPs he wants to lead the culture change at Hockey Canada and would not resign unless the board of directors told him to.
Glen McCurdie, who was Hockey Canada's vice-president of insurance and risk management when the 2018 claim was made, retired in December 2021. He was the key figure involved in responding to the sex assault allegation.
McCurdie told MPs on Wednesday that his departure from Hockey Canada "had nothing to do with the serious allegations stemming from the Foundation gala, nor from the management of that matter at Hockey Canada."
Support is available for anyone who has been sexually assaulted. You can access crisis lines and local support services through this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.
Former president Donald Trump was spotted using the presidential seal on multiple items during the LIV Golf tournament at his Bedminster, N.J., golf course.
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The seal was plastered on towels, golf carts and other items as the former president participated at the pro-am of the Saudi-sponsored tournament Thursday.
It is against federal law to use the presidential and vice-presidential seals in ways that could convey “a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States.”
While violating this law could result in imprisonment of “not more than six months,” a fine, or both, these punishments are rarely doled out.
This is not the first time the display of the seal has been reported at Trump properties. The logo appeared on a marker at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla. in an Instagram post earlier this year, according to Forbes. WNYC and ProPublica reported in 2018 that the Trump Organization ordered golf course markers with the emblem on them.
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Last year, a Washington D.C.-based watchdog group accused his Bedminster golf club of profiting from using images of the presidential seal.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
“Unlawful use of the presidential seal for commercial purposes is no trivial matter, especially when it involves a former president who is actively challenging the legitimacy of the current president,” Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said when it filed the 2021 complaint.
As Trump teed off Thursday at the latest LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament, the event was closed to the public but open to media.
This week marks the third event of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series, which Trump has joined forces with in Bedminster in the face of criticism, and its second in the United States.
The former president was asked whether he had any regrets that the golf club was hosting a LIV Golf event rather than a tournament sanctioned by the U.S. Golf Association or PGA Tour.
“No, no regrets. That’s their problem,” he said. “This course blows every other course away.”
Asked by a reporter whether he intended to announce his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, he said: “You’re going to be so happy . . . We’ll let you know pretty soon.”
TORONTO — After spending about three weeks on the injured list, Yusei Kikuchi didn't want to come off the field.
Kikuchi struck out five and gave up one run to earn the win as the Toronto Blue Jays held off the Detroit Tigers for a 5-3 win on Thursday. It was Kikuchi's first start for the Blue Jays since July 5, spending time on the injured list with a strained neck.
After finishing the fifth inning with back-to-back strikeouts, Kikuchi asked interim Toronto manager John Schneider to stay in the game.
"He came in and he told me he was hungry for more, which is awesome," Schneider said. "I told him outstanding job and use this as a springboard going forward.
"We're going to need these kinds of outings from him going forward for us to get to where we want to go. So he was great about it."
Kikuchi (4-5) held the Tigers to two hits and a walk, throwing just 67 pitches. It was his first win since a 4-1 decision in Tampa Bay on June 30.
"The first thing I actually told Schneider was that 'I'm starving, I want to keep going,'" said Kikuchi through translator Kevin Ando. "But I did understand that I was on a pitch count after not throwing for a while.
"Just overall, I'm really looking forward to my next step."
Working with Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker has saved Kikuchi's season. The 31-year-old lefty has been struggling with his command all year until Walker helped Kikuchi find his natural throwing motion during his stint on the IL.
"Pete came up to me and said 'hey, look, whenever we do any sort of fielding work, you get it to first base or whichever base right on the money almost every time,'" Kikuchi said. "So what he was saying was that was basically my natural arm slot, maybe.
"So we put together a throwing program to get me in a more athletic position, just letting the natural arm slot work."
Matt Chapman had a two-run homer and added a solo shot to lead Toronto's (55-44) offence. Alejandro Kirk had an RBI single and added a double, going 2-for-3 for the Blue Jays, while Danny Jansen added a run with a sacrifice fly.
"All of us have had Kikuchi's back the whole season and we've been in his corner," Chapman said. "But I think for him to maybe step away for a little bit, regroup, come back and have an outing like this can set the tone for a strong finish for him."
Adam Cimber, Tim Mayza, Yimi Garcia and Jordan Romano came out of Toronto's bullpen. Mayza and Garcia each gave up a run but Romano got the final four outs of the game for his 23rd save of the year.
Willi Castro and Jonathan Schoop had one home run apiece for Detroit (40-60) with Eric Haase earning an RBI on a sacrifice fly.
Tyler Alexander (2-4) allowed three runs — two earned — on five hits and a walk over four innings. Will Vest, Angel De Jesus, Jose Cisnero and Alex Lange came on in relief for the Tigers.
Castro's home run in the second gave Detroit an early 1-0 lead but Kirk replied for the Blue Jays in the third, with his hit dropping into centre field for a single. That gave George Springer enough time to score from second to tie the game. Springer had reached base on a throwing error by Detroit shortstop Javy Baez, making it an unearned run.
Chapman gave Toronto its first lead of the game in the fourth, with the 346-foot blast scoring Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to make it 3-1.
Two innings later Chapman struck again, hitting his second home run of the game and 18th of the year. He has 12 homers since the beginning of June.
"If I'm making consistent contact and finding the barrel I know that the power is going to be there," Chapman said. "That's something that I want to happen naturally as opposed to going out there and feeling like I have to drive the ball or try to do more when I should let it come to me."
Schoop chipped away at Toronto's lead with a homer in the seventh and then Haase reduced the Blue Jays' lead to 4-3 with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Jansen gave the Blue Jays some breathing room in the bottom of that inning with his fly ball bringing home Gurriel Jr.
MAKE ROOM — Right-handed reliever Jeremy Beasley was optioned to the Blue Jays' triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, N.Y., ahead of Thursday's game. The move made space on the Blue Jays' roster for Kikuchi's return from the injured list.
UP NEXT — Blue Jays all-star Alek Manoah (11-4) will take the mound on Friday as Toronto continues its four-game series against the Tigers. Bryan Garcia (0-0) will make his first start of the season for Detroit.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2022.
Joseph played in 69 games last season split between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Senators, where he tallied 12 goals and 30 points.
The 25-year-old lefty was drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Lightning, and made his NHL debut with the team in the 2018-19 season.
He played his entire NHL career with the Lightning until going over to Ottawa as part of the Nick Paul trade at the trade deadline in March.
In 232 career NHL games, the Laval, Que. native has 41 goals and 41 assists.
Albert Pujols made sure his last game in Toronto would be a memorable one. The St. Louis Cardinals' veteran slugger hit a home run in the top of the fifth inning on Wednesday against the Blue Jays, making him the oldest player to do so at Rogers Centre.
Pujols, who is 42 years and 192 days old, eclipsed Rick Dempsey (41 years, 342 days) in the process. Dempsey hit a homer for the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 21, 1991 at the then- SkyDome.
Pujols intends on retiring at the end of this season, so the only chance he'll have to play in Toronto again will be if the Blue Jays face the Cardinals in the World Series.
For the second night in a row, baseball's elder statesman drew a standing ovation from the Toronto crowd, doffing his helmet in a appreciation. Pujols showed his appreciation by collecting a single, a double, and then the homer, bringing him within one of hitting for the cycle.
The homer came off Toronto reliever Trevor Richards, who had only just been brought in to the game for starter Kevin Gausman. There were two on and two out when Pujols sent a 1-0 fastball into the second level in centre field, drawing some cheers from the Toronto crowd, though it extended the Cardinals' lead to 6-1 over the home team.
It was Pujols' 686th home run all-time. He is currently fifth on MLB's list, now 10 behind Alex Rodriguez for fourth place. He only has seven this season, making his chances of hitting 700 before he retires a long shot.
Hockey Canada executives told a House of Commons committee Wednesday that nine complainants alleging sexual abuse have received $7.6 million in settlements since 1989 from a dedicated fund maintained in part by membership fees.
Hockey Canada CEO Scott Smith told the standing committee on Canadian Heritage that he will not resign from his position. He told MPs he's capable of creating change within the embattled organization.
Hockey Canada chief financial officer Brian Cairo told the committee that of the $7.6 million, $6.8 million was for settlements related to Graham James, a former junior hockey coach convicted of sexually assaulting young hockey players.
Cairo said the fund is generated by Hockey Canada membership fees and investments.
Hockey Canada says it has paid out 9 settlement payments from the National Equity Fund totalling $7.6 million. The fund is made up in part by membership fees.
Both Cairo and Smith defended the existence of the fund, saying it's necessary because the organization's insurance won't cover all types of claims. Cairo cited the James case as an example.
"The insurance companies were not going to insure us for those types of instances," Cairo told the committee.
But Cairo later said Hockey Canada settled an additional 12 sexual misconduct claims during the same time period with $1.3 million paid through insurance.
"We haven't used money to protect our image. We've used money to respond [to] and support victims … so we've used money to support families," Smith said.
Hockey Canada President Scott Smith: "We haven't used money to protect our image." (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Hockey Canada announced earlier this month that it will no longer use the fund to settle sexual assault claims.
In May 2022, Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit seeking $3.55 million. The lawsuit was filed in April by a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by eight former CHL players after a Hockey Canada Foundation event in London, Ont., in June 2018.
The allegations have not been proven in court. The identities of the players allegedly involved and the alleged victim are not publicly known. The terms of the settlement, including how much Hockey Canada paid the complainant, are not public.
Barry Lorenzetti, CEO of Hockey Canada's insurance broker BFL Canada, told the committee that Hockey Canada's insurer for sexual misconduct claims, AIG Canada, agreed to let the organization settle the case using money from the fund.
But Cairo told the committee earlier that Hockey Canada now intends to recover the money it spent in the settlement from AIG.
Lorenzetti said that was news to him.
"The subject, to my recollection or to my knowledge, never came up as to whether [AIG] would reopen the claim down the road if Hockey Canada sought from them compensation or indemnification," Lorenzetti told the committee.
WATCH | Hockey Canada CEO says he's 'prepared to face the consequences' after second day of hearings
Hockey Canada CEO says he's 'prepared to face the consequences' after second day of hearings
6 hours ago
Duration 1:06
Hockey Canada CEO Scott Smith says that although he believes he's the 'right person to get Hockey Canada to the right place,' he's open to resigning and a governance review.
Lorenzetti said that, based on his experience in the insurance industry, the existence of Hockey Canada's fund for settling claims is not unusual.
"We deal with thousands and thousands and thousands of clients right across Canada and internationally. It is not uncommon ... for a corporation to have a reserve fund or a fund for uninsured losses or claims that aren't recoverable," he said.
"I think it's prudent risk management and prudent practice."
Hockey Canada hired an independent investigator, Henein Hutchison LLP, after it learned of the alleged assault. Police in London, Ont., launched a criminal investigation shortly after. At the committee Wednesday, the Hockey Canada executives said the firm was paid between $280,000 and $287,000 out of the National Equity Fund.
Members of Hockey Canada's leadership, including Smith, are facing multiple calls to resign and let a new team bring in changes to the organization and the sport.
Several MPs at committee expressed dissatisfaction with Smith's leadership. Conservative MP John Nater asked him if he'd quit.
"For the good of hockey, for the good of the countless volunteers across this country, the good work countless blameless people are doing in the sport of hockey, I strongly believe there needs to be new leadership within Hockey Canada," Nater said.
WATCH | MP John Nater questions Hockey Canada CEO during second day of committee hearings
MP John Nater questions Hockey Canada CEO during second day of committee hearings
6 hours ago
Duration 1:07
Nater asked Hockey Canada's CEO Scott Smith if he would agree to step down as his organization confronts allegations of sexual misconduct. Smith said he would step down if the board of directors decides his leadership is no longer needed.
"Will you do that? Will you step down for new leadership to take over?"
Smith said in response that he has no plans to resign.
"I'm prepared to take on this responsibility, for change within our game, I believe I've got the experience to do it," he told the committee.
Smith said he's prepared to step down if Hockey Canada's board or a governance review team decides he's not up to the task. He also apologized for how the organization initially responded to the 2018 case of alleged sexual assault.
"We should have done more, and could have done more, and could have done things quicker. And so I apologize for that," Smith said.
Bloc Quebecois MP Sébastien Lemire and NDP MP Peter Julian also voiced doubts about Smith's ability to lead Hockey Canada going forward.
"The Canadian public has lost confidence in Hockey Canada. Of that there is no doubt," Julian said.
"I find this hearing today is really the last opportunity for Hockey Canada to establish some credibility."
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather commended Hockey Canada's efforts to change but said they're too little and too late.
"I don't think in any way they go far enough … there needs to be a bigger cultural change in Hockey Canada than you're currently promising today," he said.
"There's times that good people have to step aside because the public has lost confidence in them, and I'm afraid this might be one of these times."
Nater, Richard Martel and Karen Vecchi, three Conservative MPs on the committee, said in a media statement following the hearing that Hockey Canada is a "secretive and unaccountable organization."
"It is clear that Hockey Canada sweeps cases under the rug and moves on," the statement reads.
"Senior management within the organization has not shown Canadians that they are capable of taking the necessary actions to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent acts of sexual violence from occurring in the future. This has to change."
Leagues say sexual misconduct cases not reported to Hockey Canada
Ontario Hockey League (OHL) commissioner David Branch, Western Hockey League (WHL) commissioner Ron Robison and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) commissioner Gilles Courteau told the committee that while they were aware of a number of sexual misconduct complaints involving players in their leagues over the last five years, they did not inform Hockey Canada about them.
QMJHL Commissioner Gilles Courteau appears as a witness before the standing committee on Canadian Heritage in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Courteau said the QMJHL has suspended two players over sexual misconduct complaints in the last five years.
Branch said there was one complaint of sexual misconduct directed at an OHL player in the same time period. That player was suspended, he said, and required to participate in educational programs as a condition of reinstatement.
Robison said the WHL has dealt with two reports of sexual misconduct over the last five years. He said police investigated both cases and the players involved were suspended from the league.
All commissioners testified that they did not report the cases to Hockey Canada.
With the trade deadline about a week away (August 2nd, at 6 Eastern), what would you like to see the Jays do?
I’m not wanting a bat at all.
Juan Soto would be great, but the asking price will be pretty high. And we are very good in the outfield. I think the only way the Jays would get him is if they take Patrick Corbin too, and I don’t want that contract.
And, as much as I’ve always liked Joey Gallo, I’d rather keep Cavan Biggio and Raimel Tapia as left-handed batters.
A starter would be handy. And it might allow the team to move Yusei Kikuchi to the pen to be the power-armed reliever we could use (is he could find the strike zone).
Luis Castillo would be great. He would cost a lot in prospects, and every contending team will want him.
Frankie Montas would also be great and is under contract for next year. And the A’s have been a good trading partner in the past.
Noah Syndergaard would be a cheaper target than the other two, but he would be useful down the stretch. He isn’t striking guys out at the rate he has in the past, but he’s been healthy for several months in a row.
The Jays really need a hard-throwing reliever or two.
The Sporting News suggests the Jays would go after David Robertson and/or Daniel Bard. They are both 37, neither should cost us much in prospects, and they would greatly help in the pen. Detroit would likely deal Michael Fulmer.
The Pirate’s David Bednar would be a great choice but would cost more in prospects, but would be under team control until 2027. Anthony Bass from the Marlins
But then there is no end to relievers, they might add.
Use the comments to share your favourite rumours or make your own up.
