Canada blasted Russia in the final game of the 2015 World Hockey Championship, winning by a 6-1 score. Most of the Russian squad immediately left the ice at the final horn, skipping the traditional playing of the winner’s national anthem. According to Reuters, Russia will be punished for going against the etiquette of the sport.
Via Reuters:
“Once we arrive back home after the world championships we will look into this question and we will get in touch with those in charge at the Russian Ice Hockey Federation,” IIHF president Rene Fasel said in the statement to the TASS news agency.
The IIHF has its own protocol and some sort of punishment will be handed down.
“When I saw what had happened, I was very upset. In the 29 world championships that I have had the honor of attending, this is the first time I have seen something like this. What the Russian team did was completely out of order.”
Meanwhile, the Russians do not believe they were disrespectful despite only a handful of players sticking around for the anthem.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of punishment is handed out and if any additional rules or regulations are added to the tournament to prevent players from bailing on the anthem following the final whistle.
