Minsk Arena during the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. The Belarusian capital is scheduled to host the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship together with Riga in Latvia.
photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
Representatives of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) arrived in Minsk for meetings with members of the Belarusian government to address the various issues surrounding the organization of the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, which is scheduled to be co-hosted in Minsk and Riga, Latvia from 21 May to 6 June 2021.
The IIHF delegation includes IIHF President René Fasel, IIHF Council member Sergej Gontcharov and IIHF General Secretary Horst Lichtner, who started today with an open and constructive dialogue with Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, with Roman Golovchenko, the Prime Minister as Chairman of the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Organizing Committee, and with Sergei Kovalchuk, the Minister of Sports, concerning the organization of the event and safety of players, fans and officials visiting the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
“The situation today is different than it was in 2014 when we despite some resistance had a perfectly organized World Championship. We were all there and can remember it well. The circumstances in Belarus have been different since last summer. We are here to address the situation and to find constructive solutions,” said IIHF President René Fasel.
“As part of a careful evaluation of Minsk’s capability to co-host the World Championship, we are discussing the issues with different groups and are grateful for the possibility to meet with representatives of the Belarusian government and the Organizing Committee to hear their inputs to ensure a balanced approach. The process has started this morning and will be continued with more meetings in Minsk and with discussions within the IIHF Council,” Fasel said.
The IIHF delegation includes IIHF President René Fasel, IIHF Council member Sergej Gontcharov and IIHF General Secretary Horst Lichtner, who started today with an open and constructive dialogue with Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, with Roman Golovchenko, the Prime Minister as Chairman of the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Organizing Committee, and with Sergei Kovalchuk, the Minister of Sports, concerning the organization of the event and safety of players, fans and officials visiting the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
“The situation today is different than it was in 2014 when we despite some resistance had a perfectly organized World Championship. We were all there and can remember it well. The circumstances in Belarus have been different since last summer. We are here to address the situation and to find constructive solutions,” said IIHF President René Fasel.
“As part of a careful evaluation of Minsk’s capability to co-host the World Championship, we are discussing the issues with different groups and are grateful for the possibility to meet with representatives of the Belarusian government and the Organizing Committee to hear their inputs to ensure a balanced approach. The process has started this morning and will be continued with more meetings in Minsk and with discussions within the IIHF Council,” Fasel said.