Updated at 17:53,27-03-2024

IIHF congress in May to consider moving Ice Hockey World Championship to different country

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The issue of moving the Ice Hockey World Championship – 2014 from Belarus to another country can be considered at the congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation in May.

"The next IIHF congress is to take place in Helsinki in May 2012. Each of 7- members of the IIHF, including the council of the IIHF (the executive body of the federation), would have an opportunity to bring up for discussion the issue of whether teams should play in Belarus. In case this problem would be proposed for consideration, only the congress would have a right to adopt a decision", the press-release of the IIHF informs, according to RIA Novosti.

The IIHF has also reminded that the IIHF Congress on May 8, 2009 had chosen Belarus as the host of the World Championship - 2014 being guided by the IIHF rules and regulations.

The IIHF also makes a call for a wider discussion on whether it is possible to employ sport for political purposes, and if yes, how consistency in such situations could be achieved, in order to avoid injustice towards certain sports and tournaments.

The Ice Hockey World Championship is planned in Minsk on May 9-25, 2014.

We reminds that on Thursday the European Parliament called upon the national hockey federations of the EU countries and other democratic countries to voice their opinions at the IIHF congress in Helsinki in May on the issue of reconsidering the decision to hold the Ice Hockey World Championship in Belarus in 2014 and to transfer this right to a different country.