News of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk and Riga

Fasel: 2021 IIHF WC should not be held as hostage tournament ‘of some political games’

Rene Fasel. Photo from iihf.com

MOSCOW, 9 December (BelTA) - The 2021 IIHF World Championship in Belarus and in Latvia should not be held as a hostage tournament ‘of some political games,’ IIHF President Rene Fasel told TASS on 8 December.

Earlier, various European public organizations called on the IIHF to relocate the World Championship from Minsk. “We monitor the situation quite carefully and we will see,” Rene Fasel said. “Our [IIHF] goal is to go to Belarus. We wish to go there for the fans, because they deserve to go there and not be under a political pressure," Rene Fasel stated. "We do not want to be a hostage of some political games. Health and safety is our first priority…, for all of our fans, players, for all of our people going there," Rene Fasel added.

"We still have time to make our decision. We are planning to go to Belarus to meet the people there and have a look," Rene Fasel said adding that under new circumstances he could not travel at the moment due to COVID-19.

Earlier, the IIHF press service said that Rene Fasel and IIHF General Secretary Horst Lichtner tested positive for novel coronavirus.

The IIHF World Championship is due to take place on 21 May-6 June 2021.

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