Over and over! The U20 ice hockey world championship in Canada was canceled prematurely. The corona virus proves to be a spoilsport. Due to the expanding Omikron variant, the U20 Ice Hockey World Championship was canceled. First of all, the game between Switzerland and the USA was canceled. It was then announced that Corona cases had also occurred in the Czech Republic, which is why the duel against the Finns should not go on as planned. There was a brief postponement of the game against Austria. But now the directorate has decided to end the tournament prematurely.
“The WM– Cancellation is of course a shame, ”said ÖEHV men’s sports director Roger Bader. “Especially for the players who weren’t just looking forward to the tournament, but who gave everything to be there. However, aborting is the right decision. We don’t know how the virus might have spread. The health of everyone involved has priority at all times. “
Ultimately, the duel between Russia and Slovakia did not take place due to corona cases in the Russian team. Then it was clear: Either you can find replacement dates or you can cancel the entire tournament. The International Ice Hockey Federation finally decided on the second variant. “We did everything we could to ensure the best possible conditions. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough. Now we have to bring all teams and members home safely, ”said the President of the International Ice Hockey Federation Luc Tardif.
For the Austrians coached by Marco Pewal, two defeats remain, as there was a 1: 7 against Finland at the beginning. “The performances in the three games, including the friendly against Sweden, were absolutely satisfactory. The boys gave everything, ”summed up Bader.
