The National Hockey League (NHL) appealed to the International Hockey Federation (IIHF) to allow the Israeli national team to participate in the tournaments, about which the press service published the corresponding statement 13th of January.
The NHL has expressed “serious concerns” regarding the announcement that the Israeli national team will not be allowed to participate in the upcoming IIHF competitions, reported “Sport Express” They hope that the decision is temporary and based solely on the IIHF's primary concern for the safety of all concerned, including both the Israeli national team and other participating teams.
“It is important to note that we have also been assured that this decision is not a sanction against the Israeli federation and will not affect the status of the Israeli federation as a full member in good standing with the IIHF. We urge the IIHF to take all necessary steps to resolve its issues as quickly as possible to ensure that Israel's national teams are not unfairly excluded from future competitions for which they are eligible and have qualified,” the NHL said in a statement.
On January 11, the International Ice Hockey Federation suspended the Israeli team from competitions under the auspices of the organization. The suspension will remain in effect until the safety of all competitors is guaranteed.
On January 12, the Israel Hockey Federation announced its intention to file a lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) due to the exclusion of the national team from International Hockey Federation tournaments.
The decision to temporarily suspend the Israeli team was made against the backdrop of the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which began on October 7. Due to the escalation, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has postponed to an undetermined date all matches that were scheduled to take place in Israel as part of the Euro 2024 qualifying tournament.
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