The Tampa Bay Lightning have suspended defenseman Ian Cole while the National Hockey League investigates allegations of sexual abuse, the team announced Sunday.

The NHL confirmed to CNN that the league is investigating the allegations, which were made by an anonymous Twitter account. The Lightning said they will cooperate with the league’s investigation.

“Our organization takes these allegations very seriously,” Lightning said in a statement. “While we continue to gather more details, we have decided to suspend Ian Cole, with pay, pending the results of an investigation. No member of the organization, including the players, will comment further at this time.”

Cole’s agent released a statement from Cole to SportsNet saying, “I take very seriously the allegations made against me today in an anonymous tweet. I completely deny these allegations and will cooperate fully” with the investigation. He said he hopes to clear his name of the “baseless” accusations.

CNN has reached out to Cole’s agent for further comment.

In Friday’s tweet one woman claimed that she and Cole had a sexual relationship that began when she was underage and that Cole had groomed her over a four-year period.

The accuser, who speaks anonymously under the Twitter handle @emily_smith3333, said Cole had pressured her into sex several times when she was underage, even after she had made her league debut.

He also accused Cole of emotional and sexual abuse.

She alleges that one of Cole’s former NHL teammates told her that Cole bragged to his teammates about having sex with her and told them details only “Ian and I would know.”

“The NHL must hold itself and its players accountable for creating an environment conducive to misogynistic and predatory behavior,” the accuser said in her post.

Cole, 33, has played in the NHL for 13 seasons after making his debut in 2010 with the St. Louis Blues. Cole has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche and most recently the Carolina Hurricanes before signing with the Lightning this offseason.

Cole last appeared in the Lightning’s preseason game on Saturday against the Florida Panthers.

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