Coming To Their Senses

After cancelling every other hockey tournament on their championship schedule, it was almost certain that the 2020 IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship, scheduled to take place in Zurich and Lausanne in May, would be cancelled as well. The IIHF wouldn't come out and say it immediately within their repeated announcements of cancellations, but it seemed like it was heading towards that ultimate fate as the situation in neighbouring Italy combined with the rest of the world's reactions to the coronavirus pandemic seemed to point to that very conclusion. In saying that, the IIHF Council confirmed today that the 2020 IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship would be cancelled based on the ongoing challenge the world is currently facing.

"This is a harsh reality to face for the international ice hockey family, but one that we must accept," IIHF President René Fasel stated today. "The coronavirus is a global problem and requires major efforts by government bodies to combat its spread. The IIHF must do all it can to support this fight. We have to set sport aside for now and support both the government bodies and the ice hockey family."

Honestly, this is the right decision, albeit weeks later than it should have been made, and I'm hopeful that it prompts other major sports leaders to follow the IIHF's lead in just closing down the remainder of their seasons - hi, NHL! - in an effort to keep everyone safe. With one confirmed case of coronavirus already in NHL circles, this seems like it would be a no-brainer for a league that enjoys boasting about its billion-dollar industry, but that has yet to happen.

For those wondering, the first possible year for Switzerland to host the IIHF Men's World Championship after this year's cancellation would be 2025, and I'd expect that to happen just as Halifax and Truro were awarded the IIHF Women's World Championship next year after a special meeting by the IIHF council.

Look, I'm critical of anyone who puts profits over the safety of the very people from whom they want to profit, so expect me to take swipes at the NHL until Gary Bettman steps forward and does the right thing. The IIHF is now off that list after doing the right thing and ensuring the safety of everyone who would be involved in this tournament and all the extra pieces that go into the success of this tournament such as transportation, feeding, hosting, and a million other people with whom these fans, players, staff, officials, and volunteers will interact.

Common sense has finally reached the IIHF Council. There's still hope for these hockey czars with today's decision. I'm just hoping that it makes its way to the NHL Offices at some point because at this point, it seems the that league is just being obstinate.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!