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The IIHF will investigate the statements of its president for life about the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
René Fasel did not support the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
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The board of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decided, at its last meeting on Thursday, to refer René Fasel, president of the IIHF from 1994 to 2021, to the ethics committee. The Russian Federation is also affected by this decision.
The 72-year-old Fribourgeois, life president of the Federation, is accused of his criticism of the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. In the media, René Fasel, who has recently become an adviser to the KHL (the Russian Continental League), had hinted that this decision was sad for the IIHF.
The instance explains that it “referred this matter to the Independent Ethics Committee to determine whether Fasel’s actions violated the IIHF’s Integrity Book. The IIHF Code of Ethics, which is an integral part of the IIHF Integrity Book, requires “a President for Life to conduct himself in accordance with the principles of dignity, integrity, loyalty and responsibility in all relationships of a competitive, economic, social (including social media) and moral nature”. The IIHF Book of Integrity applies specifically when a President for Life is acting within the scope of his duties for the IIHF or whenever his conduct detracts from the IIHF or could otherwise undermine the objectives of the IIHF. ‘IIHF.’
With regard to the Russian Federation (RIHF), it is accused of having “sent instructions to the teams of the Continental Hockey League (KHL) to take demonstrative measures in favor of the Russian-Ukrainian war” . This would constitute a violation of the IIHF Code of Ethics.
Once the cases have been studied, the ethics committee will decide whether to refer them to the disciplinary council, which would then take sanctions.