A Slovakian goaltender at the World Junior Hockey Championship called this year’s tournament a “farce”.
Simon Latkoczy posted two Instagram posts on Thursday, the day after the tournament was canceled by the International Ice Hockey Federation (FIHG) due to cases of COVID-19 with at least three teams.
“I came here, tried my best, and is that how it’s handled?” We must put the blame on the FIHG. She completely underestimated the necessary preparation, ”wrote Latkoczy in her first of two long texts.
“The organization of the event was terrible from day one. I felt like I was participating in a minor hockey tournament. “
Although Latkoczy’s Instagram account is not officially licensed, leaders of his United States Hockey League (USHL) team have confirmed that it is indeed his.
The FIHG confirmed that seven new cases of COVID-19 had been detected on Thursday, including one in Canadian training. Two members of the Swedish delegation also received a positive test result, as did a representative from Russia, another from Germany and one from Slovakia. An arbitrator also contracted the virus.
The 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship was called off on Wednesday after two cases in the United States, one in Russia and another in the Czech Republic, forced the teams in question to forfeit.
Completely different from 2021
In his second post, Latkoczy recounted that the health protocols in place for this year’s tournament were completely different from those in effect for the 2021 edition, also presented in Alberta.
“Last year we spent the whole tournament in a bubble that included the arena and the hotel. It was surreal, but it worked, wrote the Slovak. The staff who worked for us stayed in the bubble for the duration of the event. They never went home. “
However, this year, the hotel in Red Deer where the Slovakian squad was staying remained open to the public, according to Latkoczy. So people could continue to patronize the barber shop and restaurant, and a wedding was even held while the team was on site.
“The restaurant and hotel workers went home every night,” said Latkoczy. It is true that everyone was tested daily, but we know that there is a delay between when a person comes in contact with an infected person and when their test result turns out to be positive. So how does this make sense? “
The goalkeeper also admitted to being disappointed that the tournament was canceled when so few cases had been reported – his message was however published several hours before the announcement of the FIHG concerning the seven new cases reported on Thursday – and went away. sorry to note that the organizers found no other solution than the cancellation.
“They could at least have tried to concoct a plan so that we could finish the tournament,” said Latkoczy. But they didn’t. “
“They chose to cancel the tournament as if we were trivial players playing through the holidays in Canada. “
Latkoczy concluded his post by thanking the Slovak federation, their teammates and coaches for the time they spent together.
“It must have been a special moment,” wrote the 19-year-old goaltender. It’s really sad to end our junior career like this. “
Other reactions
Latkoczy wasn’t the only one to voice his disappointment after the tournament was canceled.
The German Hockey Federation also took to Instagram to comment on the situation.
“It’s a bitter decision to accept for the players, the coaches and all our staff,” the statement read. But we understand the whole health aspect that was at stake and we will do everything in our power to bring our healthy under 20 team home. “
The captain of the American formation, Jake Sanderson, said he was heartbroken following the announcement of the FIHG.
As for him, the head coach of the United States, Nate Leaman, congratulated his players.
“We are so disappointed for them,” he said. They proudly represented the United States, and they are winners. “