On Tuesday, Sweden's Minister of Sports Amanda Lind (MP) visited the Johanneshov arena in Stockholm to discuss with the Swedish Ice Hockey Association's chairman Anders Larsson, SHL chairman Anders Källström and Jenny Silfverstrand, CEO of Djurgården (taking over as CEO of SHL this autumn), the audience issue before the start of the season in September.

At present, the maximum limit of 50 people at gatherings makes it possible to re-admit spectators to a greater extent, but Swedish ice hockey has developed an audience protocol to be ready when the government gives the green light to visitors in a limited crowd.

The hockey association has produced a protocol on seven points which is a plan to get an audience into the arenas.

Waiting for message

Anders Larsson is waiting for a message on the audience issue shortly.

Throughout the pandemic, Swedish ice hockey has had a good dialogue with Minister of Sports Amanda Lind as well as the Swedish Public Health Agency and the police. Just as in previous meetings, Amanda Lind today showed great interest and understanding of our problems and has promised to return in the near future with information, says union president Anders Larsson.