Scott Smith spent nearly three decades climbing the ladder at Hockey Canada.

He lasted just over three months at the top following a series of scandals that have rocked the sportB次元官网网址檚 national organization to its core.

Smith is out as Hockey CanadaB次元官网网址檚 president and CEO, the embattled federation announced Tuesday.

The board of directors has also resigned.

Smith was unable to survive the fallout related to Hockey CanadaB次元官网网址檚 mishandling of sexual assault allegations and how settlements were paid out B次元官网网址� revelations that both enraged the country and opened yet another conversation about the sportB次元官网网址檚 toxic culture.

Hockey Canada said in a statement an interim management committee will be put in place to guide the organization until a new board, which is set to be elected in December, appoints SmithB次元官网网址檚 successor.

Hockey Canada said the outgoing board recognized B次元官网网址渢he urgent need for new leadership and new perspectivesB次元官网网址� in stepping down.

Smith and those members follow former board chair Michael BrindB次元官网网址橝mour, who resigned in August, and interim chair Andrea Skinner, who stepped down Saturday, as casualties at an organization that has seen politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, call for leadership change as corporate sponsors jumped ship.

Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, who sits on the Heritage Committee thatB次元官网网址檚 been looking into Hockey Canada since the spring, said TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 changes B次元官网网址渟eem like a great step.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭his is an excellent indication that Hockey Canada now better understands that change is required,B次元官网网址� Housefather in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Housefather added itB次元官网网址檚 his belief that when Skinner and BrindB次元官网网址橝mour appeared at committee last week B次元官网网址� the third time Hockey Canada officials have been called to Parliament Hill since June B次元官网网址� they and other members of the leadership thought they could still weather this storm.

B次元官网网址淚f the heritage committee had not gone as badly as it did last week for Hockey Canada, I donB次元官网网址檛 think this would have happened,B次元官网网址� Housefather said. B次元官网网址淭his wasnB次元官网网址檛 their intention going into the meeting. Their intent on the way to the meeting was to tell everybody that the media was all wrong and they were being scapegoated and they were fine.

B次元官网网址淭he meeting and everything that followed from it has led to this.B次元官网网址�

Bloc MP and fellow committee member Sebastien Lemire said the changes B次元官网网址渇inally gives us a glimpse of the possibility of serious culture change.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淎fter months of pressure from MPs, sponsors, the media and the general public, the leadership at Hockey Canada has now accepted the evidence,B次元官网网址� Lemire tweeted in French. B次元官网网址淲e will continue to demand an independent inquiry to shed some light on the dated and opaque management of Hockey Canada and force a real examination of its practices.

B次元官网网址淲e must change the culture of sport and move towards an environment we can trust.B次元官网网址�

Smith took over from outgoing CEO Tom Renney on July 1 after a succession plan was announced in April, but Hockey CanadaB次元官网网址檚 world started to come crashing down shortly thereafter.

TSN was first to report in May that an undisclosed settlement had been paid to a woman who alleged in a $3.55-million lawsuit she was sexually assaulted by eight players B次元官网网址� including members of the countryB次元官网网址檚 world junior team B次元官网网址� after a 2018 Hockey Canada gala in London, Ont.

The ugly headlines continued with the revelation of a secretive Hockey Canada fund partly maintained by minor hockey registration fees to pay for uninsured liabilities, including sexual assault and abuse claims.

A Hockey Canada official testified on to parliamentarians in July the organization had doled out $7.6 million in nine settlements related to sexual assault and abuse claims since 1989, not including this yearB次元官网网址檚 payout to the London plaintiff. The majority of the money went to the victims of disgraced former junior hockey coach Graham James, Hockey Canada said at the time.

Police in London later said the force would reopen the investigation into the 2018 incident. The NHL is also conducting an investigation because many of the players from the 2018 world junior team are now in the league.

Hockey Canada then announced members of the 2003 menB次元官网网址檚 world junior roster are being investigated for a group sexual assault, as calls for change at the top mounted. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Smith, who previously served as both president and COO, and the soon-to-be-retired Renney were grilled during what would be the first committee meeting looking into Hockey Canada in June about both the London incident and from where settlement funds were drawn.

MPs were left stunned by the lack of transparency and accountability during that disastrous session. Hockey Canada subsequently had federal funding cut off, while a number of corporations paused sponsorship dollars.

Its reputation and brand battered and bruised, the organization eventually issued a carefully worded open letter July 14 that contained a number of promises, including a pledge to reopen an incomplete third-party investigation into the 2018 alleged assault and a full governance review, which is being led by former Supreme Court justice Thomas Cromwell.

Hockey Canada subsequently released an B次元官网网址渁ction planB次元官网网址� to address safe sport issues.

B次元官网网址淲e have not done enough to address the actions of some members of the 2018 national junior team or to end the culture of toxic behaviour within our game,B次元官网网址� Hockey Canada wrote.

B次元官网网址淔or that we unreservedly apologize.B次元官网网址�

Smith, who joined the organization in 1995, testified before the heritage committee a second time in July where he resisted calls for his resignation from politicians of all party stripes.

Those calls increased further last week when the organization further dug in its heels during a third round of hearings on Parliament Hill, with both its former and current board chairs defending SmithB次元官网网址檚 leadership.

BrindB次元官网网址橝mour said he had the qualities to B次元官网网址渄o something positive for the organization.B次元官网网址�

Skinner, meanwhile, told the committee that hockey should not be made a B次元官网网址渟capegoatB次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� for toxic culture that exists elsewhere in society.

The response to those comments was swift, with Hockey Quebec stating it had lost confidence in Hockey Canada and would not transfer funds to the national organization. A number of provincial organizations announced similar decisions.

With its government funding already shut off, a number of corporate sponsors B次元官网网址� including Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire and Nike B次元官网网址� either paused or fully withdrew funding altogether from Hockey Canada.

Skinner resigned over the weekend before Smith and the rest of the board exited Tuesday.

Renney and Smith worked side-by-side following the formerB次元官网网址檚 2014 appointment to Hockey Canada president and CEO. Renney then handed the role of president to Smith, who was also COO, five years ago.

B次元官网网址淵ou gave me front row seats to all the activity of a CEO and you certainly prepared me for this day,B次元官网网址� Smith, a native of Bathurst, N.B., told Renney at an April news conference.

B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 promise perfect, but we certainly can promise a constant drive to be better, and more importantly, make every Canadian feel welcome to a safe and inclusive environment.B次元官网网址�