MINSK, 5 May (BelTA) - Chairman of the organizing committee of the IIHF World Championship in Paris, President of the French Ice Hockey Federation Luc Tardif and President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Rene Fasel offered their apologies to the Belarusian hockey players for the search at the the Paris Montparnasse Train Station, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation.
On 4 May the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation received an official letter from the organizing committee of the tournament signed by Luc Tardif offering the words of regret in connection with the incident. The IIHF head Rene Fasel visited Team Belarus as they were having a training session in AccorHotels Arena and offered the words of regret for the search noting that the IIHF already launched an investigation into the incident. Rene Fasel also inquired about the condition of the players, their readiness for the upcoming championship and wished them good luck.
As BelTA reported earlier, Belarus' national team was subjected to a thorough search by police at the railway station in Paris on 3 May. All attempts to immediately ascertain the reasons for the search failed. The search lasted about 20 minutes, after which the Belarusian team went to the hotel.
Belarus will open the 2017 IIHF World Championship against Finland in Group B on 5 May. Belarus will also play against the Czech Republic on 6 May, Canada on 8 May, Switzerland on 10 May, France on 12 May, Slovenia on 13 May and Norway on 16 May. Group A teams (Sweden, Russia, the United States, Germany, Latvia, Denmark, Slovakia, Italy) will play in Cologne.
Four best teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinal (18 May). Belarus Five Channel will broadcast games of the Belarusian national team.
