MS Hockey Imagine colors. Czech fans outwitted the ban on the Ukrainian flag at the World Cup

As on Saturday against Czech, Czech fans have sent a clear signal: We condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

They placed the symbolic canvas between two Czech flags with inscriptions referring to the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Soviet troops in 1968.

Go home Ivan … – 1968.

Natasha is waiting for you … – 2022.

The official Ukrainian flag hung there for a few minutes on Saturday before security guards arrived and removed it. “She stayed there for five minutes. Then they took it off from us without explanation, “said one of the group of Czech fans, who introduced himself as Tomsssa.

The organizers explained for iDNES.cz: “Only the flags of the participating countries are allowed in the tournament. You can see the flags of the countries that play in the tournament. “

There is no ban on what flags may and may not be hung in the auditorium in the official fan guide.

It only states that banners and flags must not contain derogatory remarks or words that offend human rights or promote hatred or violence. This is strictly forbidden.

You can only speculate why the International Hockey Federation does not want any symbols in the auditorium that resemble the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The fact is, however, that the IIHF treads cautiously around the war.

After all, its former Swiss president René Fasel does not hide his affection for Russia and maintains warm relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

And when the IIHF recently took away the organization of the 2023 Championship from Russia, it did not say a word about the war. She used the wording “events of the last days” and wrote that she had removed Russia from the “concerns about the safety of the participants”.