Lithuania expressed readiness to host World Hockey Championship matches with Latvia

Photo of author

By admin

Vilnius is ready to join Latvia and host the World Ice Hockey Championship matches, scheduled from May 21 to June 6 this year. This was announced on the air of the national radio LRT by the Minister of Education, Science and Sports of Lithuania Jurgita Shugzhdinene on Tuesday, January 19.

“We are discussing, analyzing the situation and believe that holding a number of tournament matches in Lithuania is possible,” she said.

Šugždinene said that Vilnius had offered Riga its help before, when questions arose with the organization of the championship, and plans to turn to it again. take place in Latvia and Belarus.

The decision was explained by security issues that are outside the control of the international federation. The organization promised Belarus compensation due to the postponement of the tournament.

The tournament is to be held in Minsk and Riga from May 21 to June 6 this year.

The Kremlin expressed regret over the transfer of the World Ice Hockey Championship from Minsk.

Earlier, the Belarusian opposition and various European public organizations called on the IIHF to postpone the tournament from Minsk due to the tense political situation in the country. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas spoke out against the holding of the World Cup in the Belarusian capital on January 14 and the US State Department on January 19.

In January, a number of sponsors, including Scoda and Nivea Man, said they would refuse to fund the championship if it is held in Belarus.

Presidential elections were held in Belarus in August 2020. The incumbent head of state Alexander Lukashenko won them for the sixth time. Since then, protests have not abated in the state. Those who disagreed with the results of the vote took to the streets, dissatisfaction turned into clashes with the police.

Last weekend, 30 people were detained for participating in uncoordinated actions in the republic.

Leave a Comment