Australia’s ice hockey governing body has decided to pull out of hosting a lower-tier men’s world championship tournament that included Israel’s national team, due to concerns over safety and security. The move follows a surge in anti-Israel incidents across Australia.
While Ice Hockey Australia (IHA) did not specifically mention Israel in its official statement, local media reported that an email sent by the organisation to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) explained that the IHA could not host the tournament in Melbourne due to security concerns linked to Israel’s participation.
“The decision was primarily made to ensure the safety and security of athletes, volunteers, spectators and other participants,” said Ice Hockey Australia.
“IHA does not shy away from making this decision with safety at the forefront. IHA is not in a position to comment on global issues outside the sport of ice hockey and did not intend for an internal email to be shared broadly.”
Although ice hockey has a minor presence in Australia, the decision sparked a nationwide debate, even prompting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to address the issue during an appearance on the “Today” TV programme.
“This is a decision made by Ice Hockey Australia. They’re not a body, I’ve got to say, I’m familiar with and it’s not a sport I’m familiar with, like most Australians,” said Albanese. “But we should be opposed, and are, as a country to any form of racism, but particularly to anti-Semitism.”
The tournament, a Division II Group A event for lower-ranked teams, is also set to include Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates.
The co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alex Ryvchin, criticised the decision to cancel the event involving Israel, claiming that it sets a harmful precedent.
“Sport has long been a field where the anti-Israel elements in society and in the world try to drive a wedge between Israelis and the rest of the world,” Ryvchin told Sky News Australia. “What is surprising is that the decision-makers have chosen to bow to that extremism.”
