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Russians Against Tourney ScheduleBy AL McNEILMONTREAL (CP) — Russia refused to ratify the schedule of games drawn up by Canada for the 1970 world hockey championships scheduled for Montreal and Winnipeg in March at a meeting of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s directorate Sunday.The balk by the Russian delegation threw the two-day meet-j mg into confusion and followed on the heels of a Saturday threat by Senator Helge Ber-glund of Sweden to pull hiscountry out. but for entirely different reasons.Fred Page of Vancouver. North American president of the IlHF and chairman of the meetings here, said a resolution setting Dec. 1 as a deadline for entries, had been extended until Dec. 8 to allow the Russian delegation to go back and report its decision to the Soviet federation.“They will let us know by Dec. 8 whether or not they will participate,” Page said. “If theSoviets withdraw, the United States will move up from Pool I B and if another country doesn't; come in they will probably have lo call a general meeting of the j IlHF congress.” ;He said the Russians objected j to “playing back-to-back games three times” on the schedule drawn up by Canada.The Russians are called on to play three times during the tournament on successive days, once in the Montreal segment of the tournament and twice on the Winnipeg half.Page said this was not unusual for a world championship and other teams are faced with the same problem.John F. (Bunny) A hear ne or London, president of the IlHF, said the fact the meeting broke up without ratifying the schedule was “indeed a sad state of affairs.”The Czechoslovakian delegation had also objected to some parts of the schedule, but only on minor points and apparently left satisfied.Although no vote was taken.Page said Sweden, East Germany, Canada and the United Stales were in favor of ibeschedule. Finland, not represented here, had already declared itself in favor.“The Czechs were still noncommittal at the end, while the Russians rejected the schedule,” Page said.Page said it had been established that the Canadian federation will have a two-week period after Dec. 8 to decide “whether it Mill bold the tournament.”“That’s up to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to decide,” Page said.Earl Dawson of Rivers, Man., CAHA president, had met earlier in the day to settle a dispute with the Swedes. The Swedish delegation had threatened to boycott the tournament unless Canada revised its decision not to send a team to the annual Aheame Trophy tournament in Stockholm in December.The CAHA withdrew Canada’s representatives in the tournament — Galt Hornets of the Ontario Hockep Association's senior circuit — because the Swedish press had continually roasted visiting Canadian teams in the past, calling them “gang-champiofls and that's how they introduce themselve 5.” he added. “If the Russians and the Czechs both told us they weren’t coming we’d have to consider packing it (the tournament) up.“We wouldn’t consider cancelling if only the Soviets dropped out because the United States w?u!d come in and there would be added interest there.”Both Page and Dawson think it unlikely Russia will risk being shunted to Pool B of world competition by not showing up here.HIIF officials agreed that by failing to show here the Russians would find themselves automatically relegated to Pool B — the second division of world amateur hockey to be played in Europe in 1970. If two teams failed to show here, the U.S. and probably Poland would jump to the A section or top division. Canada, Sweden, East, Germany, Finland, Russia and j Czechoslovakia, currently occupy the top division, ,However. Dawson has another problem. He said Canada's national team is scheduled to leave Nov. 20 for a tour of Russia.“I wouldn't want Canada there if they weren'tcoiningstcrs and hooligans,”However. Dawson said a com-! ^rck here.” he said, promise was reached Sunday ; Organization for the 30-gamc when the Swedish delegation' world tournament, with the first asked if Canada would accept1 half of the games scheduled for one of its teams here for an e.\- Montreal from March 12-20 and • hibLtion lour this year and then the second hall .-it Winnipeg, follow up by resuming Canadian March 22-29. is well under way participation in Swedish tourna- [ hi both centres, ments Tor the 1970-71 season. ! Both cities are selling tickets.Dawson said he feels this2 and television rights tu the tour-j agreement will be acceptable to ' ncniCut hir e been sold to thethe CAHA membership. j Canadian Television Network.!Page said he had no inkling oFjCTV also controls the radio the Soviet position prior to themeeting here, “but knowing how they operate I’m not surprised.” lie said the IlHF has had three previous meetings about the tournament schedule and it was felt that most of the wrinkles had been ironed out before the directorate came here.“It’s a serious thing.” Dawson said, “but even with their threatening to pull out, T loci confident they won’t go through with it.“They are scvcn-limcs worldrights and currently is dickering’ withvarious buyers.Dawson said that if the Russians continue their holdout and don’t play here, or if the schedule has to be greatly altered, it could prove expensive to the two rinks and the television network as well as embarrassing to Canadian hockey officials.ILLEGAL CROSSINGS CHICAGO — Of pedestrianskilled in cities, 9 per cent were crossing intersections diagonally or against traffic Llglitb.
Newspaper Details
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA
Mon, Nov 17, 1969
Page 24
Full Page
Clipped by
Jason P.
USA 14 Mar 2019
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