EDMONTON — Amid rising COVID-19 cases among players and cancelled/forfeited games, the ongoing World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, AB is cancelled.
The announcement from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) was made on Wednesday, Dec 29., during the preliminary round portion of the event.
“Following a recommendation by the tournament COVID-19 Medical Group and the IIHF Medical Committee, the IIHF Council has decided that, due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship will be cancelled to ensure the health and safety of all participants,” a IIHF statement read.
The IIHF deemed the integrity of the event had been compromised.
The fast-spreading Omicron variant caused the IIHF to readjust its COVID protocols in an effort to stay ahead of potential spread of the virus, including daily testing and team quarantine requirements when positive cases were confirmed, the statement noted.
Canada was scheduled to play Germany at 4 p.m. pacific time on Wednesday in preliminary round action.
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