Prime Minister and President of the International Ice Hockey Federation discuss possibilities for organising part of the Ice Hockey Championship in Lithuania

This morning, the Prime Minister has had a remote meeting with President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) René Fasel, and has discussed Lithuania’s determination to hold part of the Ice Hockey Championship, which had been planned to take place in Minsk, in Lithuania.

According to the Prime Minister, Lithuania supports the decision of the International Ice Hockey Federation to cancel the tournament in Minsk, which should have been done earlier, and offers to consider a possibility of holding part of the tournament in Lithuania.

‘Lithuania is able to organize top-level competitions and has proved this more than once. Logistically, organising the tournament in the neighbouring countries would also be much more convenient under the conditions of the pandemic. The more so that Lithuania has the required infrastructure. Therefore, we have offered to the Government of Latvia to organise part of the tournament in Vilnius and Kaunas, and have discussed the matter in a conversation with the President of the International Ice Hockey Federation this morning,’ said Ingrida Šimonytė.

The Ice Hockey World Championship is scheduled for 21 May – 6 June, with 16 top national teams competing.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has announced on Monday that its Council has decided to move the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship from Belarus.