Representatives from International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Infront Sports and Media and host broadcaster Mediatec visited 2012 IIHF World Championship arenas during their 3-day site visit in Helsinki and Stockholm.




- The purpose of these regular site visits is to discuss various matters regarding the Championship on site and to get to know the plans, arenas and local people well before the event, explains IIHF deputy general director and event director Hannes Ederer.




At the moment the organizers in Finland and Sweden are finalizing their room allocation plans and preparing ticket sales, which both play a key role in organizing world class events.




Ederer as well as IIHF sports director Dave Fitzpatrick are both satisfied with their visit.

- From our point of view everything is going very well at this stage of the organization, local people are well prepared, says Ederer.



- We really look forward to close cooperation with organizers bearing in mind that 2012 will be a historical event in many ways. This will be the first time in ice hockey the World Championship is organized in two countries. In practice this means that in 2012 there won’t be a secondary venue as Sweden’s group of eight teams will play their games in Stockholm, Globe Arena, while the other group, with Finland, will play in Helsinki, Hartwall Arena, giving the organizers two home teams, Fitzpatrick sums up.

However the Semifinals and Medal Games will be played in Helsinki.

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