IIHF: Raeto Raffainer wants to join the board and potential heirs to Vasyl

Franz Rendel and Luke Tardiff are the two favorites. As expected, Luke Tardiff officially submitted his candidacy only shortly before the registration deadline (June 30). Even Franz Reindel would be a favourite. But he has to defend himself against critics of his association (!). What he has done with confidence so far. It is incredible mathematical and political folly for the Germans to try to weaken their most promising candidate for the highest office in the world through internal disagreements.

A few “regional princes” within the association spoke out against the candidacy and tried to sabotage the candidacy through a media campaign (including with the news magazine Spiegel). It was not possible to confirm the allegations raised regarding conflicts of interest in professional activity. The last German in the presidency was the predecessor of René Vassil D. Gunther Sabitzky.

Luc Tardiff, who grew up in Canada and became a hockey legend in France, is a confidant of René Vassil and is considered a secret favorite. Petri Briza is an outsider in the race for the world’s highest hockey official. Henrik Bach Nielsen and Sergey Goncharov were not given any chances.

There are also 7 new seats on the IIHF, the “Federal Council of World Ice Hockey”. SCB Senior Sports Director Raeto Raffainer is applying for one of these seven seats. But there are also 17 other candidates – including hockey legend Pavel Bure, Miroslav Satan and Swedish Football Association president Anders Larsson. The chances of him being elected are good.

If Raito Ravenir is not elected to the council, Switzerland will lose much political influence on the world stage after 35 years. In 1986, Rene Vasel, president of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, was surprisingly elected to the Council of the International Ice Hockey Federation (victory against Russian goalkeeper Vyacheslav Tretiak) and became president of the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1994. Thanks to Rene Vasel, Switzerland became a world power Regarding hockey policies. Without a seat on the council, the Swiss influence over the management of the IIHF at headquarters in Zurich would be reduced. Jon Viragoth (Finance), Christian Hofstetter (Athlete) and Danny Corman (Referee) hold influential senior positions here.

The new boss usually brings his shop agents with him. But we know from history that the important functions of the functioning of the organization are not affected even in the event of a revolution. Lenin was not really very sensitive in the context of the Russian October Revolution. But he did not touch the post office. We can therefore assume that the Swiss influence in the management of the IIHF will not diminish even under a new president.

Since the IIHF is based in Zurich, it helps if the president or general secretary is Swiss – because there is plenty to discuss with local authorities and a good knowledge of rights and customs in our offices helps. General Secretary Horst Lichtner (62), who has been close to René Vassil since 2006, will retire for the foreseeable future. The question is whether there will be a Swiss successor to the naturalized German. Christian Hofstetter is a potential candidate.