In Canada, at an emergency meeting of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), a decision was made to terminate the youth world championship ahead of schedule.

The reason was the positive tests for coronavirus in the lineups of several national teams at once - the participants of the tournament.

Because of this, three group stage meetings were canceled.

The IIHF council, following the recommendations of the tournament's medical team on COVID-19 and the medical committee, explained this verdict by the desire to "ensure the health and safety of all participants."

They also noted that after the refusal to hold three matches, the sports integrity of the competition was under threat.

“We promised the participating teams to do everything possible to create the conditions necessary for this tournament.

Unfortunately, this was not enough.

Now we need to focus on ensuring that all players and staff return home safely, ”explained IIHF Head Luc Tardiff.

At the same time, the functionary did not rule out that MCHM-2022 will be organized next summer.

According to him, we are talking about how to hold the championship from the very beginning, and not finish it.

“At the moment, the championship should definitely be held in Canada, they have the right to this tournament.

It is not easy to stop such a competition, taking into account the interests of television and all the money invested.

We must give them a chance, the MFM will be held in Canada.

I'm not sure yet, in Edmonton or another city ... give us a month to develop a new plan, "- quoted Tardif" Championship ".

In turn, the president of the Canadian ice hockey federation Scott Smith and the organization's general director Tom Rennie expressed regret that the tournament had to be canceled, despite all the measures taken.

“While we know this is the right decision, we sympathize with all the participants who have earned the right to represent their countries on the world stage and will not be able to fully realize their dream,” they said in a statement.

The last straw for the organizers was the problems in the location of the Russian national team.

Information that the national team would be awarded a technical defeat in the group stage match with Slovakia appeared in the domestic media just a couple of hours before the starting siren.

It was reported that the organizers rendered such a verdict in connection with a positive test for coronavirus in striker Matvey Michkov.

Soon, the FHR confirmed that the next game would really not take place, and the coach of the national team Oleg Bratash said that Michkov had passed the positive test.

“As for the rest of the players, I have no information on them ... If this continues, it is possible that the tournament will be completed ahead of schedule.

Our team is not the first to have a match canceled due to the coronavirus.

I don’t know what will happen to the championship next, but anything can happen, ”the specialist complained.

At the same time, Sergei Fedotov, the agent of the 17-year-old striker, who scored three goals in two matches of the tournament, stressed that the young man feels great.

According to him, in the camp of the team of Sergei Zubov, doctors promptly conducted testing, and the tests of all hockey players gave a negative result.

“This begs the question: what kind of undercover games are being played by the organizing committee of this MFM?

Technical defeats are not hockey, but a big top, a circus.

A test is taken, referred to the laboratory, then a positive result appears.

In this case, Matvey Michkov.

It feels great!

The same as yesterday.

The test was negative for the entire team, ”the agent emphasized.

But the athlete's father, Andrei Michkov, confirmed that his son's first test really gave a positive result.

However, the next one, according to him, turned out to be negative.

“I would like the world championship to be suspended.

People get sick, the sports principle disappears.

Now we have done one more test, we will build on its results.

We have suspicions that this is some kind of provocation.

It's just that the Americans, too, not ordinary people have been diagnosed with the virus - the captain and key hockey players of the national team, "- quotes the words of Michkov Sr." Sport-Express ".

Problems with the tournament appeared even before the start of the championship, when the captain of the Swiss national team Simon Knack was forced to quarantine.

Due to the detected case of COVID-19, the friendly game with the Czech Republic was canceled.

On Tuesday, December 28, a few hours before the start of the meeting with Switzerland, it became known about two positive tests for coronavirus in the US national team.

The Americans, the reigning champions of the MFM, were awarded a technical defeat with a score of 0: 1.

The Czechs suffered next.

One sick person was found in their composition.

At the last moment, their game with Finland was canceled, and Suomi got three points without a fight and extended the winning streak in Canada.

Finally, on Wednesday, the Russians did not manage to get out on the ice.

Thus, the organizers found themselves in a difficult situation long before the playoffs: they failed to play three matches, and it was not clear whether the injured teams would be able to return to the game.

The strict protocol of the competition prevents teams from holding meetings if they pass even one positive test for coronavirus.

A particularly difficult situation developed in Group B, where two favorites - the United States and Russia - were under attack.

At the same time, in Group A, due to unexpected difficulties for the Czechs, the Austrians got a historical chance to reach the MFM quarterfinals.

In this situation, the organizers had no choice but to stop the tournament ahead of schedule.

It was reported that several national associations from among the participants of the MFM-2022 called for its completion due to the inability to comply with the sporting principle.