Quebec Major Junior Hockey League commissioner Gilles Courteau has announced his resignation after 37 years at the helm of the junior hockey league.
Courteau had previously said he would retire in 2024, but announced his abrupt departure on Sunday in a statement in which he says it was time to pass the torch.
He says he contacted the chair of the league’s executive committee today and his resignation takes effect immediately.
Courteau was in the middle of a political firestorm after testifying at legislature hearings in Quebec City on hazing rituals in hockey.
READ MORE: Quebec major junior hockey to introduce ‘locker room code’ to prevent violent hazing
He told the committee none of the cases described in a Radio-Canada report about an Ontario Superior Court ruling involved the league.
But the former QMJHL player who was part of the lawsuit had alleged he experienced sexual abuse in his testimony, and Courteau was under pressure to testify a second time.
READ MORE: Quebec commission will not extend hearings into hockey hazing
The now former commissioner noted in his resignation letter that recent events had affected his family and continuing in the post would not be the right thing to do.
The league’s executive committee issued a statement thanking Courteau for his service and saying Assistant Commissioner Martin Lavallee would be interim commissioner while the recruitment process for a new leader, already in its final stage, is concluded.