Lukas Podolski appointed official ambassador
Football world champion Lukas Podolski was named the official ambassador of the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Stefan Löcher, Managing Director of the LANXESS arena and thus Chairman of the local organizing committee, took advantage of Podolski's visit to his homeland and presented him with the official certificate and a jersey of the German national ice hockey team.
Cologne, April 21, 2017 – World Champion, Vice-European Champion, German Champion – and now also official ambassador for the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Lukas Podolski is a footballer who is revered around the world and is also a popular figure off the pitch, always and everywhere. He will use his fame to promote the 2017 IIHF World Championship outside of the hockey community.
“It is not a given that a tournament of this magnitude is taking place in Cologne for the third time. As a Cologne resident, I am proud that the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship with the entire final round will be held in the LANXESS arena. Over 1,2 billion people worldwide will see TV images from Cologne during the 17 days of the tournament. “This underlines the international importance of the sports city of Cologne,” said Podolski when he was appointed World Cup ambassador. “Ice hockey is a great, extremely fast and hard sport. Everyone who has the opportunity should see for themselves at the home World Cup. As an ambassador, I see myself as part of the organizational team and would like to contribute to the success of the event.”
Stefan Löcher was relieved that he had been appointed ambassador: "Lukas is constantly on the move, so it is difficult to find a time to meet. Every child in the world knows his name. From now on he will be drumming up support for the 2017 IIHF World Championship. I am firmly convinced that Lukas Podolski will continue to drive our project forward."
The news was also heard with great joy at the Munich headquarters of the organizing committee. Franz Reindl, President of the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) and the World Cup Organizing Committee, congratulated Podolski on being appointed official World Cup ambassador: “I see it as recognition that great athletes and personalities like Lukas Podolski are committed to the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. We are on the right track and will benefit from Lukas Podolski’s support.”
Tickets for the 2017 IIHF World Championship are available:
– online www.iihfworlds2017.com and www.facebook.com/iihfhockey
– By telephone on +49 (0)1806 2017 01 (0,20 €/call incl. VAT from landline networks, max. 0,60 €/call incl. VAT from mobile networks // Monday-Friday 10.00 a.m. – 19.00 p.m and Saturday from 12.00 p.m. to 19.00 p.m.)