The horrors keep on persisting

The GIST: The five former Canadian World Junior hockey players (all of whom went on to play in the NHL) on trial for sexual assault were found not guilty yesterday — and, for many, it feels like a gut punch.

The context: Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé, and Cal Foote were acquitted of all charges yesterday, six weeks after the eight-week trial concluded. The alleged 2018 incident took place in a London, Ontario, hotel room after a Hockey Canada gala.

• The years-long saga included a 2022 settlement from Hockey Canada for the complainant, E.M., the shocking disclosure of the organization’s slush funds to finance similar sexual assault settlements, and a complete upheaval of Hockey Canada leadership.

• Though E.M. immediately brought the allegations to police in 2018, the case wasn’t reopened until after the slush funds were discovered in 2022, and the charges weren’t laid until February of 2024, nearly six years after the alleged incident.

The trend: This trial was an opportunity for a watershed moment, a reckoning for toxic hockey culture, and a chance for sexual assault survivors to feel heard by a court system that so often lets them down. Instead, with the five “not guilty” verdicts, it was the same old story, one that unquestionably favors men with power.

• Time will tell if any of the players return to pro hockey, but there’s a disappointing precedent in men’s sports, from the recent hiring of Anaheim Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville to NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson’s continued employment.

Zooming out: Despite the verdict, this case has made an impact: It has encouraged conversations around consent, shone a light on hockey culture’s dark side, and put five pro athletes on trial, a reality practically unheard of previously. It is nowhere near enough, but it is a start. The fight continues.

The GIST: It all comes down to this. World No. 2 Spain will take on No. 5 England in the UEFA Women’s Euro final Sunday at 12 p.m. ET, pitting the defending FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) champs against the reigning Euro victors.

• Before we dive into this sure-to-be epic 2023 WWC final rematch, there’s off-pitch news to address: Both the French and English teams are dealing with abusive language directed at players from so-called fans. There’s simply no place for hate in the beautiful game.

🇪🇸 La Roja confident ahead of first Euro final: It took 113 minutes, but Spain prevailed 1–0 in Wednesday’s semi against No. 3 Germany thanks to Aitana Bonmatí’s late goal. The two-time Ballon d’Or Féminin winner eased into this tourney after illness and is now peaking at the right time, alongside her Golden Boot–leading teammates. TL;DR? This feels like Spain’s trophy to lose.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 But you can never count underdog England out: While La Roja has dominated this tourney, the Lionesses have been…inconsistent, trailing in four of their five games. Yet here they are, powered by super-subs Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly, who scored the game-changing goals in England’s quarter-final and semi wins, respectively. One thing’s for sure: It ain’t over ’til it’s over.

The GIST: One historic inaugural regular season full of groundbreaking deals, record attendance, and truly beautiful partnerships later, the Talons and Bandits will face off in the first-ever Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) championship series, hosted at famed Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, beginning tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET.

• Here’s your guide to the best-of-three showdown which you can catch on ESPN in the U.S., TSN in Canada, and by following our on-the-ground coverage on social. Let’s start swinging.

💚 Talons look to cap off dominant campaign: The Talons rolled through the regular season, securing their spot in the ’ship nearly two weeks ago. And they did it largely on the right arm of AUSL Pitcher of the Year Georgina Corrick, who boasts a league-best 2.04 ERA. At the plate, the squad just welcomed hot hitter and former UCLA star Maya Brady back from injury. Look out.

💙 Bandits bats promise plenty of power: This team can score in bunches behind AUSL Hitter of the Year Erin Coffel and outfielder Morgan Zerkle, who leads the AUSL in hits, home runs, and doubles. Their real difference-maker is the long ball: The Bandits blasted a whopping 38 homers, 14 more than the second-place Talons.

🚴 Cycling: Tour de France — Today through Sunday — Peacock

• Cow detours aside, the Tour de France is proceeding as expected with just three stages and about 270 miles standing between front-runner Tadej Pogačar and his fourth title.

• And before the men wrap up on Sunday, the women will begin their nine-stage journey when the Tour de France Femmes begins tomorrow. Magnifique.

🏀 WNBA: Phoenix Mercury vs. NY Liberty — Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET — WNBA League Pass

• Injuries have wreaked havoc on both squads this year, but that hasn’t stopped them from ascending in the standings. With their stars, including NY’s Jonquel Jones and Phoenix’s Satou Sabally, back from injury, this stacked showdown is what hoop dreams are made of.

🏎️ F1: Belgian Grand Prix — Sunday at 9 a.m. ET — ESPN

• Led by the dynamic duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, McLaren has dominated the first half of the season, opening up a virtually insurmountable 238-point lead over second-best Ferrari. That said, chaos always reigns supreme at Spa, especially when rain is in the forecast.