IIHF reacts to devastating accidental death
At the end of October, professional ice hockey player Adam Johnson dies after a blade cut. After the DEL, the IIHF is now also taking action: in future, neck protection will be mandatory. However, this does not apply to all leagues.
Following the accidental death of professional Adam Johnson, the Ice Hockey World Federation IIHF is introducing mandatory neck protection for all its competitions such as world championships and Olympic tournaments. This was announced by the IIHF. It is not yet known when the regulation will come into force and depends on the availability of the additional equipment. In the German Ice Hockey League (DEL), neck protection will be mandatory from January 1, 2024, while the German Ice Hockey Federation will introduce the measure from the 2024/25 season.
This regulation is not binding for the North American professional league NHL. There, an agreement would have to be reached between the league and the players' union. "I would say I believe that at a certain age, everyone is old enough to decide for themselves. I also tried to put it on. In training or even before training, it was rather difficult for me to move the safety catch," said German NHL professional Tim Stützle of the Ottawa Senators. But of course you also try to be "a role model for the younger kids".
The accidental death of professional Adam Johnson at the end of October prompted the ice hockey world to act quickly. The US American was killed at the end of October during a game between his Nottingham Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers when a skate blade cut his neck. The rules were quickly changed. "It's a sad occasion, but the discussion has produced a good result," said DEL Managing Director Gernot Tripcke.
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After the tragic accident involving Adam Johnson, the IIHF announced that neck protection will be required in all their competitions, including the NHL, although it's not yet binding for the NHL. Meanwhile, the DEL and German Ice Hockey Federation have set dates for implementation: January 1, 2024, and the 2024/25 season, respectively.
Despite requiring neck protection in its competitions, the IIHF acknowledges that the NHL, as a North American professional league, would need to reach an agreement with its players' union before implementing the same regulation.
Source: www.ntv.de
