The Russian youth hockey team arrived in Edmonton, where the World Championship for players under 20 starts on December 25.

The trip to Canada for the national team turned out to be extremely exciting for reasons beyond its control.

As planned by the organizers of the tournament - the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the Ice Hockey Federation of Canada - on December 13, six European teams were to cross the Atlantic Ocean on two planes.

However, journalist Marie Lehmann accompanying the delegations from Russia, Finland and Sweden said that the departure from Helsinki airport was delayed indefinitely.

Later, journalist Scott Wheeler said that a similar problem arose with the teams of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, who were trying to fly out of Vienna.

It turned out that the transportation of prefabricated trains was entrusted to the Polish company Enterair, which for unknown reasons provided the Boeing 737-800, which was not intended for long-distance flights with heavy workload.

It was supposed to solve this problem by refueling in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik and the village of Kangerlussuaq, located in Greenland.

However, when loading bulky hockey luggage of three teams, it turned out that it did not fit into a special compartment.

Representatives of the company offered their way out and even began to implement it: bags and suitcases were placed in the aisle of the salon, which contradicted safety standards.

After the meeting, representatives of the national teams decided to refuse the provided aircraft, citing their unwillingness to risk the lives of hockey players.

Sverige, Finland och Ryssland i strategimöte.

Mynnade ut i beslutet att:


samtliga tre nationer VÄGRAR flyga med planet till Edmonton OM bagage lastas i kabinen.

Vilket var tanken.



“Vi måste tänka på våra spelares säkerhet”, säger Kimmo Oikarinen, general manager FIN U20. # Jvmpic.twitter.com / S3K6iMuEJU

- Marie Lehmann (@svtlehmann) December 13, 2020

“We were in quarantine for a week in Finland, we are going to be quarantined in Canada.

I would like players and teams to be treated with respect and given the best conditions to prepare for the top tournament.

All of us - Finland, Russia and Sweden - found ourselves in the same position.

Nobody asks for a miracle, we just need proper conditions for the flight, "- quotes the head coach of the Finnish national team Antti Pennanen Iltalehhti.

The wait dragged on, and the Finnish side even tried to negotiate the replacement of the carrier company with a local Finnair, which would provide them with a more capacious flight.

However, these negotiations were unsuccessful.

A few hours later, a way out of the difficult situation was still found.

The IIHF agreed to provide a separate plane for carrying baggage, and the players, coaching staffs and journalists traveled to Canada on their original aircraft.

The incident was especially outraged by the general manager of the Finnish national team, Kimmo Oikarinen.

According to him, he warned the organizers in advance that problems could arise with the transportation of uniforms, but there was no reaction.

“It was predictable.

Two months ago I told them the exact amount of luggage that the Finnish team will have.

We were constantly in touch, and I asked them to get into our position and understand that one plane would not be enough for three teams and luggage, ”Traderumours quoted Oikarinen as saying.

However, the statement of the functionary came as a surprise to IIHF vice-president Kalervo Kummola.

Responding to the claims, he stated that no one had contacted him on this issue and that he was not aware of the problem with the luggage.

Despite the flight delay and long flight, the hockey players of all three teams calmly took what happened.

So, Oikarinen said that he was pleased with the reaction of his charges.

And the Russians and the Swedes continued their journey in high spirits and, while waiting for the next refueling, staged a musical battle, performing in chorus songs popular in their countries.

Moreover, Igor Larionov's wards chose the song of the Leningrad group, dedicated to Zenit.

Refueling in Keflavik, Iceland.

You cannot leave the plane, and the teams of Russia and Sweden staged a song battle.

This is a long flight in a crowded plane, and without any entertainment ... Although ... Wait a minute, "Lehmann wrote.

Refueling in Keflavik, Iceland.

Not allierad to leave the aircraft, the Russian and Swedish team conduct a folksong battle.

This flight is long, crowded and there is no in flight entertainment ... or ... wait a minute ... # iihfworldjuniorspic.twitter.com / 5PayhPxl36

- Marie Lehmann (@svtlehmann) December 13, 2020

Now, everyone who arrives in Edmonton will have to pass coronavirus tests and go into a four-day quarantine.

Recall that the youth world championship will be held in a "bubble" - all teams will live, train and play in a closed area.

On December 22 and 24, the Russians will hold friendly matches with Slovakia and Canada, and the tournament will open with a match with the USA.