Hammarby submits protest - Västerås let players in too soon

The situation that Hammarby camp is mighty upset about occurred at the beginning of the second half. At extra time in the first half (after 48.26, to be exact), Västerås Joel Engström was given a ten minute expulsion, at the score 1–0.

Just over half a minute later, the match was blown off, which meant that it should remain over nine minutes of the expulsion.

Already in the sixth minute of the second half (after Västerås made 2-0) Västerås was hit by a new expulsion (on Stefan Edberg), and thus it should have waited over three minutes of games in games in games with two more men for Hammarby. But in the two pictures you can see that Västerås previously expelled players have left the deportation bench, despite the fact that there were still several minutes of his expulsion.

- We address it to the fourth judge exactly when he steps onto the ice, but he completely ignores us! He completely ignores us! And we try to get his attention and the judges' attention later, but that is complete arrogance from especially the fourth judge, Hammarby's coach Stefan Karlsson tells SVT Sport.

Did you talk to the judges about this after the match?

- Yes, but nothing is said then.

In addition, a look at the match log shows that there are two serious inaccuracies. On the one hand, it says that the 3-0 goal was made after 54.45, and not 53.01 as it was actually done, which according to Hammarby's theory is a change to make it look like it happened after Engström's expulsion had ended.

And so it says Stefan Edberg's expulsion happened after 50.28 which it really was.

- I don't know how to explain it, says Stefan Karlsson.

Hammarby Bandy has now submitted a protest to the Swedish Bandy Association's competition committee, where they demand, among other things, that the match should be replayed. But they have no great hopes of getting through the protest.

- We have no hopes and expectations at all. But if you do not mark this, then I do not know ... Besides, we were hit last year. In the quarterfinals against Sandviken, one of our players sat three minutes over time, says Stefan Karlsson.

Anders Ek, club manager of Västerås Bandy, was present at the match yesterday and has heard about Hammarby's protest regarding the prematurely released player.

- I haven't studied the TV pictures in retrospect, but for me it's a bit like a missed offside on which it becomes a goal. There will be human mistakes, and it is just ridiculous to scream like this afterwards, he tells SVT Sport, and reason similarly about the adjusted deportation time:

- Mistakes happen. It's not like we're sitting in a band with VAR.

- Spontaneously it feels low and desperately acted by Hammarby. Both we and Hammarby saw what the game looked like. It was a smooth and good match, and I don't think it would have made that much difference if Joel had to sit a few minutes extra.

If it were to be an investigation by the bandy union and it turns out that your staff was wrong, how would you look at it?

- Then we welcome the inquiry and act according to what they say.

Do you have full confidence in those in your secretariat?

- Yes absolutely! We have full confidence in them.

SVT Sport has sought representatives for the judges and the Swedish band association.