1.  Changes in IISHF Referee Department

The IISHF Referee Director Claes Freder has resigned as per 31.12.2024. We thank Claes for his outstanding work over the last 20 years and are very glad that Claes will continue to work as Referee Supervisor at IISHF Title Eents.

The IISHF Presidium has decided to implement the following new IISHF referee structure from 2025:

·         We do not appoint a IISHF Referee Director anymore.

·         Instead, we found a IISHF Referee Committee with the Referee Managers of all NMAs and led by the IISHF Presidium represented by Ingo Goerke and Dee Dalton (IISHF Vice-President and IISHF Officials Manager).

·         With this committee we discuss together general referee issues incl. appointment of new IISHF referees, nomination of Referee Supervisors and Referees on IISHF Title Events.

·         Dee Dalton will take over the approach to communicate and correspond with the referees and Referee Supervisor.

2.  IISHF U19 European Championships 2025 and IISHF Women European Cup 2025

The Austrian Federation has delivered the official application for the combined IISHF Title Events for the U19 National Teams and Women club teams to take place in Ternitz (Austria) in the last weekend of August 2025 (29-31.08.2025). The IISHF Presidium has now sanctioned both events.

We are very pleased that both Title Events will take place and express our special gratitude to the Austrian Federation and the hosting club Eiswölfe Ternitz.

Please note this will be a full 3 day event combining the U19 European Championships with 4-6 teams (Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland and hopefully 1 or 2 invited guest countries) together with the IISHF Women European Cup with 6 teams.

3.   Deadline to confirm participation in the IISHF Women European Cup 2025

For all those NMA that haven’t yet given complete information about their club’s teams participation in the IISHF Women European Cup 2025 please follow the following instructions:

Regarding the IISHF European Cups (Club Teams) according to § 18.1 and § 18.3 IISHF Regulations all Teams must confirm within three (3) weeks upon request by IISHF Communication Letter if they will officially take part. Each confirmation must be given and signed by the relevant National Member Association on the “IISHF Title Event Confirmation Sheet” provided by the IISHF – please find it attached to the Communication Letter (2024-21 published on 30.11.2024). National Member Associations not returning the “IISHF Title Event Confirmation Sheet” or not giving the requested feedback within the 3-weeks deadline will get a fine for each missing team feedback

according to § 3.7 IISHF Regulations and the relevant team also loses their right to take part at this European Cup 2025.

The need for feedback also applies for all National Vice Champions 2024, Defending Champions, Wild Card Teams, Host Teams and Backup Teams (a total of minimum 5 teams if fewer teams please report - that there is no extra team) who might qualify for 2025. Please ensure that the information about the participation 2025 of all your Club Teams will be given to IISHF (office@iishf.com).

Deadline for reply is then 13.01.2025. In the event of a National Champion declining the place, the place will in the first instance be offered to that National Member Associations Vice Champion if they do not already have a place.

4.  Deadline to confirm participation in IISHF U19 European Championships 2025

For all those NMA that haven’t yet given information about their U19 national teams participation

in the IISHF U19 European Championships 2025 please follow the following instructions.

Regarding the European Championships (National Teams) according to § 18.12 IISHF Regulations each National Member Association must confirm to IISHF within three (3) weeks after the announcement if they will officially take part. Please ensure that the final information about the participation 2025 of your Men and U19 National Team will be given to IISHF (office@iishf.com).

Deadline for reply is then 13.01.2025.

Each confirmation must be given and signed by the relevant National Member Association on the “IISHF Title Event Confirmation Sheet” provided by the IISHF – please find it attached to the Communication Letter (2024-21 published on 30.11.2024). National Member Associations not returning the “IISHF Title Event Confirmation Sheet” or not giving the requested feedback within the 3-weeks deadline will get a fine for each missing team feedback according to § 3.7 IISHF Regulations and the relevant team also loses their right to take part at this European Championships 2025 at the regular rate.

5.  IISHF Live Streaming Support Payment for 2024

The IISHF Presidium has decided to pay a total of 2.970,92 Euro for the IISHF Live Streaming Support for 2024. The payment is based on the IISHF European Cups and Championships Streaming Report 2024 made by IISHF IT Director Simon Price as input to the IISHF Presidium.

A total of 3.500 Euro was planned as the maximum payment in the IISHF Budget for 2024. The payment is made on a prorated payment based on the livestreaming provided at the 7 IISHF Title Events conducted in 2024 with 6 European Cups and 1 European Championship. The payment is regulated based on the evaluation of each Title Event.