Luc Tardif: "For IIHF Ukraine Super League doesn’t exist"

IIHF President Luc Tardif held a meeting with Ukranian Federation leadership and the management of MHK Sokil Kyiv, Kremenchuk, Dnipro Kherson, Rulav Odd Kharkiv and BSFC, the clubs currently playing in the Ukraine Hockey League after the withdrawal of Donbas Donets'k, HC Kramatorsk Bilyy Bars Bila Tserkva and HC Mariupol who created a parallel championship, called Super League, adding some newly created teams, included a "copy" of Sokil, called SK Sokol Kyiv

The previous investigation in the IIHF clearly showed that the punished clubs violated the fundamental principles of international hockey.The first of them - the clubs did not ensure the participation of players in the national team, the hockey players themselves left the ranks of the national team. The second fundamental rule is that after the suspension, the players took part in the matches of the national championship. Neither the players nor the clubs could do that categorically. The third violation appeared later, after the creation of the so-called "Super League" - 23 players who improperly arranged transfers, participate in the "Super League".

"The IIHF was created more than 115 years ago and has been around for exactly 100 years. We exist because the biggest leagues - the NHL, the KHL, the European leagues and others - operate under the same IIHF rules. One of them is a basic rule - to ensure the participation of players in national teams.Those who do not understand this rule have nothing to do in hockey. Others.It is not possible to play with suspended and disqualified players. Third, every hockey player must recognize the international transfer law that exists to protect the interests of players and teams.To change the club and the country, you need to receive international transfer cards.

Of course, some countries have IIHF-independent leagues.You can play four periods in them, in the format of "seven for seven", invent some other rules. But such leagues have nothing to do with international hockey, international competitions. If you want to spend your entire career in the Super League, play there. But if you want to play international hockey, you will have to go back under the IIHF umbrella. The same applies to coaches, judges and other entities involved in this competition.

"I met Boris Kolesnikov (Donbas President and the creator of Super League) last night.We did not meet him alone. At this meeting, Boris asked to meet with clubs that play in the "Super League".I explained that this was impossible.Because these clubs do not exist for me, as there is no "super league". I explained to him and made it clear that the only way to talk about something was to accept sanctions or appeal against them and fully recognize the jurisdiction and authority of the FHU. There can be no agreement until the rules are followed. Mr. Kolesnikov questioned the legitimacy of the election of Georgy Zubko as president of the Ukrainian Federation. We checked this process and found no violations. We can say that we will stand behind the FHU and support it in every way.

All international club tournaments are under the jurisdiction of the IIHF. The share of the IIHF in the Champions League is 12.5%. Based on this, I can say that Donbas has just an opportunity to get a wild card to participate in the Champions League: to recognize the sanctions that were imposed on him. If a wild card is issued without this condition, it will mean one thing - the IIHF will withdraw from corporate rights in the Champions League and this will result in a long delay.

"The existence of two leagues in Ukraine is impossible," Mr. Tardif concluded.- Of course, both sides should go to meet each other.I am ready to become a moderator in this process, but I will not allow you to break the rules.This applies not only to Donbass, but also to all other clubs.We will be a strong partner of Ukrainian hockey and the Hockey Federation of Ukraine. "

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