German motor oil manufacturer LIQUI MOLY said it would not sponsor the 2021 Ice Hockey World Championship if held in Belarus, the company said on Sunday, January 17, in a press release.
“The current situation in Belarus and the policies pursued by the government of the country – primarily the treatment of demonstrators and the obvious violations of human rights in Belarus – run counter to the beliefs and values of LIQUI MOLY. For this reason, LIQUI MOLY announces its refusal to sponsor the World Ice Hockey Championship if the committee of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decides to hold the competition in Belarus, ”the company’s press service said on Instagram.
The World Championship is to be held May 21 – June 6 in Minsk and Riga.
A day earlier, Škoda and Nivea Men made a similar statement.
On January 13, it became known that the organizing committee of the 2021 Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk is ready to discuss the issues of holding the tournament with Latvia and other states.
In turn, the head of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Rene Fasel, at a meeting with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on January 11, said that due to the political situation in the republic, the federation is under great pressure.
Lukashenko added that if Latvia refuses to host the Ice Hockey World Championship jointly with Belarus, Minsk will host it on its own, and “it will be the best championship in history.”
Presidential elections were held in Belarus on August 9, 2020. According to the Central Election Commission, Lukashenka won for the sixth time in a row. Those who disagreed with this outcome took to the streets, and citizen discontent spilled over into mass protests across the country. Promotions continue to this day.