DEB-President Franz Reindl (Photo: Julian Kröhl) on the current discussion about Belarus, the co-organizer of the 2021 World Cup:
“The World Cup tournament in Belarus is still under discussion and a decision will be made by 25/26 at the latest. We are definitely assuming that this will happen in January in the IIHF world association.
However, it should be made very clear that we completely condemn what is happening in Belarus. We and I personally have a very, very critical and internally clear stance on this. Sport is fundamentally in a special situation with regard to political situations, as it is exposed to various special political situations without being politically active. In such situations, we are guided by the political guidelines of the responsible political institutions and ministries. Nevertheless, the IIHF has tried and continues to try to make a difference through the sport of ice hockey on behalf of people to whom unacceptable things have happened and who are innocently imprisoned.
But whether this will succeed is more than questionable and then situations arise where we can no longer agree and solutions will have to be found. The other situation is the corona pandemic with the IIHF's very strict hygiene and safety protocols for all participants, which are very difficult for the current organizer to meet. Here too, we see an urgent need for action."