ZURICH – Long-time top referee Danny Kurmann will hang up his skates and join the IIHF as an Officiating Manager as of 1st October 2017.

Kurmann has officiated in the Swiss National League A since 1989 when he started as a linesman until this month when he called his last game in the final series. In the Swiss league the 51-year-old became a referee in 1993 and in 1997 he was hired as a full-time referee for the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, officiating over 2,000 games in the NLA and NLB.

His impressive international resume includes officiating in three Olympic Winter Games (2002, 2006, 2010), ten top-level IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships between 1999 and 2012 and six IIHF World Junior Championships. He called both games of the best-of-two World Championship final in 1999, three World Championship bronze medal games and three gold medal games at the World Juniors.

It’s these experiences and contacts which he gained in international ice hockey that will help him at his new position with the IIHF where he will work together with current Officiating Manager Konstantin Komissarov, who will reach the retirement age next year, during the 2017/2018 season.

“We are very pleased to add such an experienced and professional person as Danny Kurmann to our staff,” said IIHF General Secretary Horst Lichtner. “The IIHF and the sport of ice hockey will benefit greatly by having Danny as our new Officiating Manager to carry on the tremendous legacy left by Mr. Komissarov.”

Kurmann will officiate his last game on Friday, 21st April when Switzerland will play Russia in a pre-World Championship game in Fribourg.

“It was an amazing and memorable time of my life that I wouldn’t want to miss. Now I look forward to my new challenge and change the position. It’s a new step in my life and in my career,” Kurmann said.