The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has removed Israeli national teams from international tournaments.
According to the IIHF, safety considerations are behind the decision. “In accordance with the IIHF’s commitment to the protection of all participants and the obligation to implement appropriate safety and health protection measures, the IIHF Council has decided to suspend the participation of Israeli national teams in IIHF competitions until the safety and well-being of all participants (including the Israelis themselves) are ensured,” the international sub-union said.
The IIHF added that the decision was made after consulting the teams participating in the tournaments and the organizers.
The Israeli men’s ice hockey team was supposed to participate this April in the second division World Cup, group A, in Serbia, where in addition to the hosts Croatia, Australia, Iceland and the United Arab Emirates will also play.
However, the Israeli women’s ice hockey team was supposed to participate at the end of March in the third division tournament of group B in Kohtla-Järve, where in addition to Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Singapore and Thailand will also participate.
According to Israeli media, the local ice hockey association is not satisfied with the international organization’s decision and is considering challenging it in court.
The Israeli men’s ice hockey team has competed in the lower divisions since the early 1990s and was briefly relegated to the first division in 2006. The women did not make their World Cup debut until 2022.
2024-01-12 17:23:00
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