From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
In reversal, International Hockey Federation to let Israel compete in U20 tourney
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleIsrael will be allowed to participate in ice hockey’s U20 World Championships Division III tournament in Bulgaria after the sport’s governing body received safety assurances from Bulgarian authorities, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) says.
In early January, the IIHF announced that Israel had been barred from participating in international competitions, citing safety concerns. The move was denounced at the time by the Israeli Ice Hockey Association as an antisemitic.
“We are grateful to the Bulgarian authorities, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, Ministry of Interior, the local police and all our stakeholders for their support and assistance in this matter,” the IIHF says in a statement.
The IIHF announced that they will make further decisions regarding Israel’s participation in future tournaments in February.
The U20 World Championship Division III, Group A will take place in Sofia from January 22-29.
The Israeli Ice Hockey Association announced in response that it will file a claim with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the international hockey group over its “antisemitic decision to exclude Israel is an unusual and very serious step that does not meet any international sporting standard and stands in complete contradiction to Olympic values.”
The Times of Israel Community.