Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) commissioner Gilles Courteau resigned on Sunday.

The 65-year-old announced this in a letter on his social networks. As reported by the Journal de Québec, Mario Cecchini will replace Courteau.

In the meantime, Courteau’s assistant, Martin Lavallée, will act as interim commissioner.

“I am no longer the commissioner of the QMJHL,” he wrote in his letter. When you’ve dedicated most of your life to an organization, it’s hard to see that the time has come to pass the torch. While it’s not an easy decision, it’s a necessary one.

“Furthermore, recent events have been of such proportions that my family members have felt the strain. To continue would have been stubbornness,” Courteau added.

The man who has been in office since 1986 is currently at the center of a storm related to the inauguration scandal in the hockey world. Courteau, who was ordered to testify before a Quebec parliamentary committee on February 23, was answering questions from members of the National Assembly following Radio-Canada’s revelations about the class-action lawsuit, which was notably spearheaded by former LNH player Daniel Carcillo and meanwhile Barbaric acts during initiation rites in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) were uncovered.

In the ensuing press scramble, the Circuit Commissioner revealed that only one of the 20 or so affidavits in the class action lawsuit had been signed by QMJHL alumnus Stephen Quirk covering events between 1995 and 1998. He then wore the colors of the Alpines, a team that became the Moncton Wildcats.

“And what is in his affidavit does not contain any sexual connotation,” he assured the media.

However, it seems that Mr Courteau was on the wrong track. Among other things, Mr. Quirk recounts that teammates “took heated painkiller cream and put it in [son] anus inside [le] penetrate with their fingers.”

Cecchini as curator

It is the current interim president of the Montreal Alouettes, Mario Cecchini, who will become the next commissioner of the QMJHL.

According to what journalist Kevin Dubé learned from the Journal de Québec, he was unanimously appointed by the owners of the circuit last weekend. His appointment is expected to be confirmed within the next week.

In January 2020, Mr. Cecchini was hired as President of the Alouettes after many years working as a Quebec media executive.

His contract with the “Als” was not renewed by the former owners last December. However, the Canadian League temporarily restored him to his position on February 14 when the county placed the club under guardianship. He is currently responsible for managing the day to day affairs of the club and supporting the team’s sales process.

What they said:

“We take note of Mr Courteau’s resignation. We intend to work closely with his successor to ensure our young people’s development takes place in a healthy and safe environment.” – Isabelle Charest, Minister for Sport

“We take note of Mr Courteau’s decision. However, we would like him to be present in the parliamentary committee. We still have questions for him.” – Pascal Bérubé, MP for Matane-Matapédia and spokesman for the Parti Québécois for sport, leisure and nature

“After his entry into the parliamentary committee, it became very clear that Gilles Courteau no longer had the legitimacy or the maneuvering room to remain in office. I applaud his decision to pass the torch on immediately. As for us parliamentarians, the work with this parliamentary commission has only just begun and we must continue this work to ensure that we find solutions to protect the integrity of young people playing sports in Quebec.” – Vincent Marissal , solidarity manager for sport and leisure.

– In collaboration with Kevin Dubé and Rémi Nadeau