Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament to Feature 12 Teams
The International Ice Hockey Federation today announced the basics for the format, which will be used for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games ice hockey tournament.
The men’s tournament will be played with 12 teams. The final format is still to be decided.
The men’s tournament will be a one-stage tournament where all teams enter the competition at the same time. There will be no qualification round like in Nagano 1998 and in Salt Lake City 2002. (14 men’s teams took part in Salt Lake City).
The top eight ranked teams following the 2004 IIHF World Championship – determined by a later decision – will be automatically qualified to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.
The host team Italy will be placed directly into the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.
The remaining three teams will be decided through Olympic Qualification Tournaments.
The final Olympic qualifications will be concluded by February 2005 and the twelve teams competing in Turin 2006 will be known by then.
This basic format will stay regardless of NHL players’ participation in Turin 2006.
Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament
The Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament will keep the same format as it had in Salt Lake City 2002.
Eight teams will be seeded into groups of four, playing a round-robin series. The two top teams from each group will be promoted to the semi-final, played according to the usual cross-over format.
The top four ranked teams following the 2004 IIHF World Championship in Canada – determined by a later decision – will be automatically qualified to the 2006 Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament.
The host team Italy will be placed directly into the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.
The remaining three teams will be decided through Olympic Qualification Tournaments.
The final Olympic qualifications will be concluded by February 2005 and the eight teams competing in Turin 2006 will be known by then.
For further information:
Szymon Szemberg
IIHF Information & Media Relations Manager
Brandschenkestrasse 50, 8002 Zürich, Switzerland
0041-1-562 22 75 (direct), 0041-79-774 07 11 (mobile)
0041-1-562 22 39 (Fax)
szemberg@iihf.com
www.iihf.com
The men’s tournament will be played with 12 teams. The final format is still to be decided.
The men’s tournament will be a one-stage tournament where all teams enter the competition at the same time. There will be no qualification round like in Nagano 1998 and in Salt Lake City 2002. (14 men’s teams took part in Salt Lake City).
The top eight ranked teams following the 2004 IIHF World Championship – determined by a later decision – will be automatically qualified to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.
The host team Italy will be placed directly into the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.
The remaining three teams will be decided through Olympic Qualification Tournaments.
The final Olympic qualifications will be concluded by February 2005 and the twelve teams competing in Turin 2006 will be known by then.
This basic format will stay regardless of NHL players’ participation in Turin 2006.
Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament
The Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament will keep the same format as it had in Salt Lake City 2002.
Eight teams will be seeded into groups of four, playing a round-robin series. The two top teams from each group will be promoted to the semi-final, played according to the usual cross-over format.
The top four ranked teams following the 2004 IIHF World Championship in Canada – determined by a later decision – will be automatically qualified to the 2006 Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament.
The host team Italy will be placed directly into the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.
The remaining three teams will be decided through Olympic Qualification Tournaments.
The final Olympic qualifications will be concluded by February 2005 and the eight teams competing in Turin 2006 will be known by then.
For further information:
Szymon Szemberg
IIHF Information & Media Relations Manager
Brandschenkestrasse 50, 8002 Zürich, Switzerland
0041-1-562 22 75 (direct), 0041-79-774 07 11 (mobile)
0041-1-562 22 39 (Fax)
szemberg@iihf.com
www.iihf.com