In a letter to the IIHF, the Latvian government has demanded that Belarus be replaced as World Cup host next year.
The tournament will be co-arranged between the countries with Belarus and Minsk as their capital.
The tournament will be decided May 21-June 6.
Following months of widespread protests in Belarus over President Alexander Lukashenko and the election accused of being rigged, the IIHF has been criticized for appearing reluctant to relocate the championships.
"No political organization"
The IIHF board met on Thursday and the chairman René Fasel seems more upset about the Latvian demands than what is happening in Belarus.
On the IIHF's website, he says:
- This is the first time a government from an organizing country has indicated a reluctance to co-arrange with another organizing nation for political reasons.
The IIHF is deeply concerned about what is happening in Minsk, but as a sports federation we are not a political organization and we cannot move a tournament for political reasons, says Fasel.
Appoint an expert group
On the other hand, he highlights health and safety for players, leaders and officials.
Therefore, the IIHF will now appoint an expert group to review the conditions for conducting the tournament from a financial, medical, organizational, sporting, legal and administrative point of view.
It will submit a report and a proposal to the IIHF's board meeting in November.
Last season, the IIHF had to cancel both the men's and women's World Cups due to the corona pandemic.
According to the original schedule, Tre Kronor will play their group matches in Minsk.