The National Hockey League announced that the Chicago Blackhawks were fined $ 2 million for inadequate internal processes in the organization, as well as insufficient and untimely response to issues related to the work of former video coach Brad Aldrich. The press release was published on the club's official website.
According to the report, based on the available testimonies and recollections of the participants, Aldrich was involved in a sexual encounter with another person in the organization (the player), which some described as sexual assault and others as a consensual encounter.
The investigation report details a meeting called by members of the club's senior management on May 23, 2010, following the playoff in the Western Conference Finals. The meeting was attended by six people from the then senior management of the club. It was ultimately decided that the personnel associated with the hockey operations should give their exclusive attention to the preparation for the Stanley Cup Final, and other relevant club personnel took responsibility for “resolving” the Aldrich situation promptly and appropriately, which, as it became known later, it did not happen.
As the press office of the NHL notes, “for the next three weeks, no action was taken to remedy the situation .” Failure to promptly and thoroughly investigate the matter not only violated the then current sexual harassment policy, but also had real consequences, including allegations of Aldrich sexually harassing the intern before he was permanently suspended from the club.
The report indicates that the top management of the club did not report the incident to the owners of “Chicago”.
Four of the six participants in that meeting no longer work in the NHL clubs. On Tuesday, it became known that Stan Bowman and Al Makaisek had resigned.