Winnipeg hockey coach charged with sexually exploiting teen player

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This article was published 10/11/2023 (1059 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg youth hockey coach has been charged with more than a dozen sex offences following accusations she groomed one of her teenage players into a sexually exploitative and abusive relationship.

Madison Biluk, 28, coached teams under Hockey Manitoba’s authority between 2018 and 2023, Winnipeg police spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said Friday.

At the time of the alleged abuse, between 2019 and 2021, Biluk was in her 20s and the player was a teen. The alleged abuse began while the alleged victim, who is now an adult, was under 16 years old.

Biluk “forged an inappropriate relationship by grooming and gaining the trust of the survivor,” said McKinnon, who added that the alleged coercion and abuse continued after the teen stopped playing hockey.

“It was over a period of approximately two years… so this wasn’t just limited to a rink scenario, this was a relationship that extended after hours, over the course of this time, with solitary meetings between the two,” said McKinnon, who added that hockey governing bodies are aware of the investigation.

Biluk was charged Thursday with assault, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, multiple counts of luring, assault with a weapon, and a slew of child pornography related offences. The crimes were allegedly committed between October 2019 and February 2021, court records show.

Biluk is no longer coaching. Past team rosters and public social media posts suggest she coached high-level girls’ hockey in the Interlake and Winnipeg as well as briefly in Alberta.

McKinnon told reporters that an individual at Hockey Manitoba received information in October about the alleged relationship between Biluk and a player and contacted sex crimes investigators.

Hockey Manitoba’s executive director, Peter Woods, said the organization, as well as Hockey Canada and Hockey Winnipeg, learned of the allegedly exploitative relationship through a video circulating online.

The video, which was seen by the Free Press, appears to have been made by the player and describes physical, emotional and sexual abuse by the coach.

Sex crimes investigators have since interviewed the player.

“She’s a phenomenal person — this is a very brave action,” McKinnon said. “She took some steps on her own to reach out to the public, to some family members, and eventually (spoke) with police and the report was formally carried on into the investigative stage.

“Sport is supposed to be safe, so it’s difficult for the entire community, it’s difficult for me, who has teenagers playing sports, as a parent. It’s a difficult, sensitive topic.”

Hockey Manitoba contacted city police as well as Hockey Canada’s Independent Third Party, a group that oversee its complaint mechanism, Woods said in a statement.

Woods said Hockey Manitoba takes “allegations of this nature extremely seriously.”

“The individual is ineligible to participate in Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs, including as a coach, guest coach or volunteer while the… complaint process is ongoing,” Woods said, adding the organization would not comment further.

Biluk has no prior criminal convictions and is next due in court on Jan. 9 next year. She was released from police custody under court-ordered conditions.

McKinnon said police are still investigating, but at this point, no other alleged victims have come forward. She asked anyone with information or who wants to speak wtih investigators to call 204-986-6245.

Police added that supports are available thorough WPS Victim Services at 204-986-6350 and the Klinic Sexual Assault Crisis Line at 204-786-8631.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Erik Pindera
Reporter

Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020.  Read more about Erik.

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