[News] IIHF suspsends Swedish players/coaches for not wearing silver medals at WJC

[sureLoss]

https://www.new-iihf.com/en/events/2...board-decision

The IIHF Disciplinary Board has handed down multiple suspensions to both players and coaches of the Swedish National Junior team for their conduct during the medal ceremony of the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, USA.

The player suspensions are as follows:

• Forward and team captain Lias Andersson is suspended for the first four games of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.
• Forward Axel Jonsson is suspended for the first two games of the 2019 IIHF Junior World Championship.
• Forward Jesper Boqvist is suspended for the first two games of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.
• Defenceman Rasmus Dahlin is suspended for the first two games of the 2019 Ice Hockey U18 World Championship.
• Goaltender Olle Eriksson Ek is suspended for the first two games of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.

In addition to the player suspensions, The Disciplinary Board has also suspended three members of the coaching staff.

Head coach Tomas Montén is suspended from acting as head coach or assistant coach or in any other position as a team official for the first three games at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Assistant coach Nizze Landén is suspended from acting as assistant coach or in any other position as a team official for the first two games at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship

Assistant coach Henrik Stridh is suspended from acting as assistant coach or in any other position as a team official the first two games at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship

The suspensions will not go into effect for any player or coach participating in the upcoming 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, but will be carried over for the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship or, in Dahlin’s case, the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. As Dahlin was 17 at the time of the violation his suspension is applicable to the tournament in which his age group is applied.

In the case of the players, immediately after the silver medal was placed around their necks and while still on the ice, all four players took the medals off and kept them in their hands for the remaining ceremony. Lias Andersson, who had been warned by the Co-Chairman of the championship not to take off the medal when he placed the medal around his neck, nevertheless took it off and tossed it into the stands.

By taking off the silver medals during the closing ceremony of the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championship immediately after the medals had been placed around their necks, the players in question violated Championship Regulations Article 5.5.8 of the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championship, according to which the silver medals are placed by IIHF representatives around the necks of the players and team officials and have to be worn around the neck in respectful manner for the duration of the closing ceremony and the following post-game mixed zone and media conference procedures.

In the case of the coaches, head coach Tomas Monten and assistant coaches Nizze Landen and Henrik Stridh, immediately after the silver medal was placed around their necks and while still on the ice, took off their medals and put them into their pockets for the remaining time of the ceremony.

By taking off the silver medals during the closing ceremony of the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championship immediately after the medals had been placed around their necks, the three coaches have violated Article 5.5.8 of the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championship, according to which the silver medals are placed by IIHF representatives around the necks of the players and team officials and have to be worn around the neck in respectful manner for the duration of the closing ceremony and the following post-game mixed zone and media conference procedures.

[sureLoss]

Looks to be symbolic slap on the wrists as Andersson, Boqvist, and Jonsson are no longer eligible for the WJC and Dahlin is no longer eligible for the U18s.

Only player it might affect is Olle Eriksson Ek who is still eligible for the 2019 wjc

[Flashpoint]

Seems to be a trend to do this of late. Can’t say it feels sportsmanlike to do it. Kind of like refusing to shake hands in a playoff series.

[skudr248]

Took it off and threw it in the stands? Jesus what an idiot

[Northendzone]

two games for the remaining eligible player is more harsh than i would ahve thought they would hand out.

not to mention this is now five months after the fact.

[N-E-B]

That's absolutely ridiculous. Nobody should be forced to wear anything, especially after losing a big a game like that.

Suspend the guy for throwing it into the stands, that was dumb, but for not wearing a medal? Give me a break.

[jlh2640]

Pretty heavy penalty in my opinion

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

Pretty heavy penalty in my opinion

How so?

Suspending a player for a tournament he can no longer play in seems to be as light a punishment as you can get.

If they really wanted to penalize Andersson they would apply the suspension to the World Championships where he is still on Sweden's roster.

[transplant99]

Good, even if it is almost completely symbolic.

It was an embarrassing display of poor sportsmanship.

Looked like 6 year olds throwing a temper tantrum cause they didn't get apple juice in their sippy cups.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

That's absolutely ridiculous. Nobody should be forced to wear anything, especially after losing a big a game like that.

Suspend the guy for throwing it into the stands, that was dumb, but for not wearing a medal? Give me a break.

Disagree. If you aren't okay with wearing a medal of any color then don't enter the tournament. Completely undermines the WJC by not wearing the medals presented.

[CroFlames]

I think all of the offenders should have got symbolic one game suspensions that sends a message to wannabe copycats.

Very unsportsmanlike to do what they did, especially on a big stage like that.

[GGG]

I prefer emotional real players who don't sanitize themselves.

If we want real interviews and real emotion instead of cliché we need to accept when these types of real reactions from young adults happen. Give me this over a typical McBot interview any day.

Yes its unsportsmanlike but it was a real moment in an increasingly manicured sport.

[RyZ]

I dont mind this. The Swedish players acted like entitled children after the game. Hopefully this curbs future hissy fits. If the Canadian players had acted like that I would have been embarrassed for my country and the sport.

[jlh2640]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

How so?

Suspending a player for a tournament he can no longer play in seems to be as light a punishment as you can get.

If they really wanted to penalize Andersson they would apply the suspension to the World Championships where he is still on Sweden's roster.

Well thats true but if they could play it would be steep is that a better way to put it. I did not like their behavior but I like that 2nd is not what you want

[Monahan For Mayor]

Yup they acted like cry babies. I don't care if they were emotional, they knew that reaction wasn't appropriate. I know I wasn't raised that way. I would have been embarrassed if my kid acted like that.

[edn88]

If you didn't want the silver medal, you shouldn't have competed. In a contest of really talented teams, someone is going to come in second.

I want a player on my team who has the mental discipline to deal with the disappointment of coming in second and is able to use the disappointment to fuel them to win the next thing they are in.

That silver medal represents a lot of hard work, and casting it aside disrespects everyone involved - parents, coaches, hockey associations, the IIHF and the team that just beat you.

I'd like to see players of that stature show class and sportsmanship so that younger players can emulate that and not pouty whiners when they lose.

[Weitz]

I don't think you should have to stay on the ice for the silver. Do it in the dressing room. Unpopular opinion but I don't care.

[Kswiss]

Originally Posted by edn88

If you didn't want the silver medal, you shouldn't have competed. In a contest of really talented teams, someone is going to come in second.

I want a player on my team who has the mental discipline to deal with the disappointment of coming in second and is able to use the disappointment to fuel them to win the next thing they are in.

That silver medal represents a lot of hard work, and casting it aside disrespects everyone involved - parents, coaches, hockey associations, the IIHF and the team that just beat you.

I'd like to see players of that stature show class and sportsmanship so that younger players can emulate that and not pouty whiners when they lose.

Exactly! Who knows. Maybe half his team mates were extrememely proud of second place. Way to make the team feel like losers even of you werent happy about it.

[ken0042]

I think they should hand out silver medals to both teams when they win their semi-final game. You win that game, you have won silver and the chance to earn a gold.

Gold medal winners turn in their silver for gold.

[Monahan For Mayor]

Originally Posted by Kswiss

Exactly! Who knows. Maybe half his team mates were extrememely proud of second place. Way to make the team feel like losers even of you werent happy about it.

This is a good point too.