Garpenlöv had looked forward to the World Cup and prepared at home with the Euro Hockey Tour and has just returned from a scout trip to North America and the NHL.

- Then it started to get serious in the US and then I realized that this will be quite difficult to complete the leagues and get to a World Cup in the end, even if hope is the last one to abandon one, says Garpenlöv about the situation.

There is not much to do about the expected message.

- Of course it is boring, feels both emptiness and disappointment, but at the same time I understand why they set so it is no wonder when you see what has happened in the world and all the hockey leagues and how the progress of the corona virus has taken over the world.

Unanimous decision among Member States

Anders Larsson, chairman of the Swedish Ice Hockey Association, was present at the board meeting where the decision was made.

- It was a unanimous decision from all the member states and the World Cup is completely canceled, it is not postponed, says Larsson, which is a tougher interpretation than the international federation has done.

IIHF has been working on the issue since a meeting on Tuesday.

- There were some questions linked to the organizer, some government contacts that needed to be taken in Schwiez and the insurance company linked to the event and then an informal decision was made, now the formal came.