Belarus has been stripped of hosting the men’s world ice hockey championship this summer due to “safety and security” concerns in the country.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has used the country’s security forces to violently oppress protesters since his disputed election victory in August last year.
The decision to move the tournament out of Belarus was welcomed by opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. “This is a very wise step — to support human rights & fair sport, not to cooperate with the regime in Belarus,” she tweeted.
Skoda, a long-time sponsor of the world championship, said on Saturday it would cancel its sponsorship deal if the ice hockey championship went ahead in Minsk. Liqui Moly, a German motor oil manufacturer, followed suit on Sunday, and the IIHF — ice hockey’s world governing body — bowed to pressure on Monday.
“While the Council feels that the world championship should not be used for political promotion by any side, it has acknowledged that hosting this event in Minsk would not be appropriate when there are bigger issues to deal with and the safety and security of teams, spectators, and officials to prioritize,” said René Fasel, president of the IIHF, in a statement.
The ice hockey championship was scheduled to be held in Minsk and Riga from May 21. The governing body will decide whether to proceed with the Latvian capital as a single host.
The influence of sponsors on the hosting of controversial sporting events is in sharp focus, as Uighur campaigners — accusing China of human rights abuses — are pressuring Olympic partners such as Airbnb to act over the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
