1980 FIB DEX WORLD CUP MEN

Ljusdal, Sweden

It happened in a small, fairly new Russian Hotel in Syktyvkar, 1500 kilometers northeast of Moscow, just west of the Ural mountains. The year was 1980, the month February. There in a cramped washing-up room, the decision was made which was so important and so historic for Ljusdals BK and the Cup. It was in connection with the Rossia tournament in Syktyvkar where then IBF had it’s meeting. The final decision to give the Dex Cup status as World Cup was thus made in that washing-up room. The IBF President Pontus Widén, Sweden, Gregorij Granaturov, Chairman of the USSR Bandy Federation and Björn Swartswe, representing Ljusdals BK. After the Soviets had been promised free board and lodging in Sweden for their two teams, and after the IBF had been assured 5 000 SEK in compensation, the decision was made. Chairman Widén had just banged his gavel on the table when Björn Swartswe got up and started to hand out stickers with the text “DEX WORLD CUP IN LJUSDAL 24-25 OCT 1980”. Björn, the gambler, already had the stickers printed.

Lars “Knatten” Olsson, Sandvikens AIK, broke a new record in the premier match in 1980 against Västerås SK. The match was only 24 seconds old when he struck from his favorite position. With a right shot from a mini-vale right angle, he made it 1-0 and it was not only the fastest goal of the tournament, but also the fastest goal in Dex history. It wasn’t finished with that. In the match that went to penalties, he scored 5 of Sandviken’s 6 goals.

IF BOLTIC 1980 WINNER!

The winner was IF Boltic from Karlstad, who in the final beat Edsbyns IF 4-0 after 3-0 at half-time in front of 6,500 people around Idrottsparken in Ljusdal. Boltic went through the group stage with three straight victories and 17-2 in goal difference.

The old newspaper clippings borrowed from Ljusnan,
Hälsinge Kuriren, Ljusdals Posten, Hudiksvalls Tidning,
Gefle Dagblad and Arbetarbladet