RIA Novosti news agency published an interview with the President of the International Federation of Hockey Rene Fazel. We bring a summary interview.
- The situation in Belarus is completely ordinary, the streets are very quiet, calm, no problems. My trip to Minsk - it was an attempt through hockey to reconcile people, reconcile power and opposition. I had very good and fruitful conversations with President (Alexander) Lukashenko. He was ready to listen. Political pressure on us is very large now. Stay in Belarus and spend the world championship there will be very difficult. We are ready to organize the World Cup without spectators because of the situation with Coronavirus.
At the moment, political pressure on IIHF goes from everywhere. First of all, it goes from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany. Their governments are calling for a boycott of the World Cup. And there is still pressure on us from the sponsors.
Someone pressed on sponsors so that they refuse to sponsor the World Cup. And this is just the beginning. And it is very dangerous because people will simply begin to boycott the products of these firms if they remain sponsors of the tournament in Belarus.
We will still talk to the Federation of Hockey Beagle, the organizing committee. In one of the coming days (on Monday), we have a meeting with the Council. It is still necessary to negotiate with many people: partners, sponsors. And then we will decide what to do next. In the next five days, we will take a final decision on the site of the World Cup.
The phase called the countries in which the tournament can be held is Belarus, Latvia, Belarus and Latvia (jointly), as well as Denmark.
- We can postpone a group that should play in Minsk to Denmark. We can spend the whole championship only in Latvia. We can also hold matches of one group in Latvia, and the other in Slovakia.
I believe that we need to show respect for the Belarusian hockey, to his beautiful fans who have already made so much so that the world championship takes place.
I am responsible for me, I must protect the IIhf reputation. Yes, the pressure is huge on IIHF. The solution will not accept the final, I will accept his advice. They have to make a decision, and my task is now to give them to understand what is the real situation in Belarus. If the decision was made not advice, but only I, then everything would be simple.
Our channel in Telegram. Join now!
Is there something to tell? Write to our Telegram Bot. It is anonymously and fast