FIB has today, March 11, decided to move the World Championship Group A, which would have been played in Irkutsk, Russia March 29-April 5. Instead, the tournament will be played in October this year at the same venue, the newly built “Ice Palace Baikal” in Irkutsk, Russia.
There is an uncertain situation around the world due to the corona virus and it has caused many people’s concerns about travel and to have cross-border contacts. There are a few weeks left to the World Championship tournament and FIB wants to make the decision now to ensure the completion of the tournament and to calm the concerns of the participating teams as the spread of the virus has created.
Mr Boris Skrynnik is President of The Federation of International Bandy, FIB:
–We do not want to take a chance with the World Championship. It maybe not would be carried out in the best way right now. We have already received the message from Kazakhstan not to participate, and we know that there are also concerns among other teams to travel far and socialize in large crowds. With this decision we will be able to conduct a good and fair World Championship tournament in Irkutsk, with the best conditions and with all the best teams. We want organizers as well as participating teams and supporters to have a World Championship that does not have the disruptive momentum that the corona virus is spreading right now. We think it is the best decision for everybody and for the sport of bandy.
The exact date for the World Championship in October is not yet decided. The next World Championship in the spring of year 2021 will take place as planned in Syktyvkar, Russia.