MINSK, 1 December (BelTA) – The Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the Prizes of the President of Belarus will not take place in 2021 due to the unfavorable epidemiological situation, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation.
This year many prestigious tournaments have been canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Taking into account the age of the participants of the Christmas tournament, the impossibility to hold training camps in the majority of the participating states and the recommendations of the World Health Organization to reduce risks to the spread of virus infections, a decision has been taken to cancel the tournament in Minsk.
The Christmas International Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the Prizes of the President of the Republic of Belarus has been held in Minsk since 2005 on an annual basis. The team of the Belarusian president won the tournament 13 times: in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Russia won the event three times: in 2007, 2011, and 2015. Competing for the trophy of the tournament were players of more than 30 countries.