Where is the next iihf

And beyond that, who's to say. But I appreciate your comment on the optics, and it does look like crap. The four members of Hockey Canada on the call — Renney, Smith, Kingsbury and Dean McIntosh vice president, events and properties — all stressed the importance of and desire to have a women's world championship in This year's tournament has a heightened sense of importance as teams prepare for the Olympics.

Those dates were disregarded due to "promising discussions that we had with the Nova Scotia Health Authority. The summer is now being revisited as are other locations in Canada to host the event if Halifax is not an option.

No chance this gets cancelled if it were the Men's Worlds Every team is already in a bubble and following strict protocol. This is extremely disappointing and a major let down for every single player and staff who has worked so hard to get to this point.

Interesting and disappointing. World Championship Women. United States. Ice Hockey. Ducks GM Bob Murray resigns over abuse allegations, will enter alcohol treatment program. Aimed at growing the sport's popularity in China's largely untapped hockey market, the IIHF voted in May to grant the host automatic berths in the team men's and squad women's tournaments at the Winter Olympics, which open on Feb 4.

Yet the decision has been questioned ever since due to the host's lack of competitiveness at elite level in one of the world's toughest and fastest team sports.

The Chinese men's side has never qualified for the Olympics while the women's team has missed the past two Games. In September, new IIHF president Luc Tardif voiced concerns over the matter, revealing that the direct entry granted to the host's men's team could be taken back should the Chinese national program fail to improve its "insufficient sporting standard".

However, after a three-day Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland last week, the IIHF said that China will retain its place in the men's tournament, citing efforts by the sport's national governing body to toughen its team up in time for the Games.

Drawn in Group A alongside world No 1 Canada, superpower the United States and Olympic silver-medalist Germany, the Chinese men's squad, currently coached by former Italy manager Ivan Zanatta, will aim to prove it is more than a mere punching bag for its three opponents.

A more competitive force than their male counterparts, China's women reached the semifinals at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, but have slipped to 19th in the world rankings after failing to qualify for the past two Games Sochi and Pyeongchang. Even so, the governing body has set them a target of contending for a medal, or at least another semifinal run, at home.

Both teams are now preparing for Beijing in Russia, with the men's squad competing in the Kontinental Hockey League and the women's side playing in the Russian Women's Hockey League to make up for their lack of international action over the past two years amid the COVID pandemic.

The same players will continue to compete through Saturday at the NIS, where ice quality, the refrigeration system, event operation, broadcasting, Games services and COVID countermeasures will be tested. After observing the first event at Wukesong, IIHF vice-president Omorkanov expressed confidence in the host's readiness for the Olympics. Following those observations, the IIHF will meet again "to discuss the next steps. By Chris Bengel. Nov 2, at pm ET 1 min read. Getty Images. Our Latest Stories U.