The IIHF writes in a statement that it does not agree with the mayor of Riga and the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which uses the flags of the participating World Cup nations for a political message.
The players have been welcomed here as guests and should not see their flag removed.
This is in direct contrast to the host country's slogan 'Passion.
No borders' ", writes IIHF.
That is why the IIHF has asked the mayor of Riga to lower the flags of the IIHF and the World Cup as soon as possible.
According to IIHF rules, we are an apolitical organization ”.
Mayor Martins Stakis writes on Twitter that the IIHF's flags will be hoisted.
"We have chosen a side - a people's quest for freedom or a dictator.
We will start by removing the IIHF's flags ", he writes.
The hockey association writes in the statement that the Belarusian flag will remain in all World Cup arenas.
It was after a plane en route to Lithuania was forced down into Belarus to arrest Belarusian regime critic Roman Pratasevich that leading Latvian politicians acted by replacing the Belarusian flag in places in Riga where the flags of the World Cup-participating countries are hoisted.
The Ice Hockey World Cup was originally intended to be decided in the Belarusian capital Minsk, but was moved to Riga after strong international pressure on the IIHF.