Neepawa Natives president Dave McIntosh has confirmed that a RCMP investigation into the much-publicized Manitoba Junior Hockey League team's hazing incident has concluded and that no charges will be laid.
"It's fantastic… it's great news," McIntosh told The Neepawa Press. "This is really the first positive thing since this whole thing happened. Now we can move forward and start building [the program] back up."
McIntosh said he was notified by RCMP on the weekend that the investigation was over and that a public statement by the RCMP is expected early this week confirming that no charges will be laid.
McIntosh said the team cheered the news when he spoke to them during the second period intermission of a game against the Swan Valley Stampeders on Saturday at the Yellowhead Centre.
"They were all in the locker room… so I went in there and said, 'let me tell you about some good news,' … they all cheered," McIntosh said. "It was a relief… this has been hanging over their heads since the last week of September… it was tough on them, some of them thought they might end up in jail. You don't know what can happen when there are [allegations] like that."
The Neepawa Natives also announced last week that interim coaches Ken Brooks and Jim Platt have been handed the coaching reins for the remainder of the 2011-2012 season.
Ken Brooks will serve as head coach and general manager and Jim Platt will serve as co-coach.
"The Neepawa Natives organization wish to thank these two gentlemen for filling in on an interim basis and we welcome their enthusiasm as they take on full-time responsibilities with the hockey club," the club said in a statement on Wednesday.