HALIFAX – German defenceman Jason Holland has been suspended for the remainder of the 2008 IIHF World Championship with immediate effect due to eligibility reasons.

Holland was entered into the championship under the assumption that he was eligible under the two-year case standard (see below). In fact, it was found that Holland had participated for Canada at the 1996 IIHF World U20 Championship, which would make him eligible to play for Germany under the four-year case standard. Holland has played in Germany for only three seasons, hence making him ineligible to represent Germany at this year’s World championship.

After an extra-ordinary meeting of the championship directorate based in Halifax, it was determined that the German team will not forfeit any of its previous results at the championship. According to IIHF Statute 204, the directorate may cite exceptional circumstances as a reason not to pursue further action in the matter. It was determined that by awarding a 5-0 forfeit score, it would unfairly impact the other participating teams at the championship in future rounds.

Acquiring a new national eligibility (The ‘two-year’ case)
When a player has changed his citizenship or has acquired another citizenship and wants to participate for the first time in an IIHF competition representing his new country he must:

• Prove that he has participated for at least two consecutive years in the national competitions of his new country during which period he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other country.
• Have an international transfer card (ITC) that shows the transfer to the national competition of his new country and which was approved and dated at least two years before the start of the IIHF competition in which he wishes to participate.

Change of national eligibility (The ‘four-year’ case)
A player, who has previously participated in IIHF competition, can switch national eligibility (but only once in a player's life) if:

• He is a citizen of the new country of his choice
• He has participated for at least four consecutive years in the national competitions of his new country, during which period he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other country and has not played for his previous country in an IIHF competition during this four year period.
• He has an international transfer card (ITC) that shows the transfer to the national competition of his new country and which was approved and dated at least four years before the start of the IIHF competition in which he wishes to participate.