2021 IIHF World Championship in Peril

(ATR) Uncertainty lies ahead after hundreds of thousands of opposition protesters descended upon the Belarusian capital of Minsk demanding the resignation of president Alexander Lukashenko.

The Belarusian leader has also been the president of his country's national Olympic committee since 1997.

Lukashenko vowed Monday to cling tightly to power as many factory workers walked off their jobs and joined the anti-government protesters.

The opposition rally held in Minsk on Sunday was reportedly the "largest in the history of independent Belarus".

Protesters have clashed with police and more than 6,700 have been arrested, with some claiming they have been tortured by Belarusian security services.

Latvian prime minister Krisjanis Karins declared on Monday that, considering the situation in neighboring Belarus, his country no longer wants its capital Riga to co-host the 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship with the Belarusian capital of Minsk next May.

"We will urge the IIHF to consider some other country instead of Belarus. If the federation refuses, and if the situation in Belarus does not change, the government could consider Latvia's withdrawal from organizing the 2021 championship," said Karins as quoted by the Latvian News Agency (LETA).

''It is difficult to imagine how we could possibly organize this tournament together with Belarus at the moment,'' the prime minister said.

The Latvian government is expected to submit a formal letter to the IIHF outlining its concerns and potentially threatening to withdraw Latvia from co-hosting the tournament with Belarus.

The IIHF, expected to address the situation at its next Council meeting in mid-September, released a statement concerning the fluid situation and Latvian prime minister Karin’s comments

"The IIHF acknowledges the concerns outlined by the Latvian government. The main objective for the IIHF remains to play the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk and Riga, as voted on by the IIHF Council and the IIHF member national associations during the 2017 Annual Congress," the statement said.

"At this time we await further communication from the Latvian government. There is no timetable for any decision to be taken regarding the 2021 World Championship. We will continue our work with the Minsk/Riga 2021 Organizing Committees and remain in close contact with the relevant stakeholders in both countries.

"It is important to note that together with the political situation within Belarus, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is another factor that may impact the ability of both countries to host the World Championship."

The protests in Belarus have continued since the disputed August 9 election, where Lukashenko supposedly won with 80 percent of the vote.

The European Union is among those to have condemned the presidential election, stating it was "neither free nor fair".

Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus for 26 years and is considered Europe's last dictator.

Opposition politician Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled the country after the election, issued a video statement on Monday stating "I’m prepared to take responsibility and act as the nation’s leader during this period so the country settles down and gets back to normality."

The Belarusian national Olympic committee could not be reached for comment on Monday.

The 2021 IIHF world championship is scheduled for May 21 – June 6 with Riga and Minsk each hosting one group and two quarterfinal games. Minsk Arena, the same venue used when Minsk had the 2014 edition, is scheduled to host thesemifinals and medal matches.

Written by Brian Pinelli

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