Extra-league director Josef Řezníček (left) and chairman of the Czech Ice Hockey Association Tomáš Král unveiled the TG Masaryk Cup intended for the winners of the Tipsport extra-league.
BPA
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The Tipsport extraliga starts next Thursday, is everything heading for the start on time?
Today, all licenses have been assigned to clubs. If nothing special happens by next week, the extra league will start according to the schedule with two matches on September 17.
The number of people positive for covid-19 is growing in the Czech Republic, aren’t you nervous about it?
It is definitely necessary to perceive this situation, because in a hockey environment and in a stadium, the virus thrives, so it is, of course, necessary to perceive this. On the other hand, it is also good to take into account that when hockey players are hit, the affected age group is very resilient. I would probably look at this problem in a simplified way.
| Czech hockey confirmed the start of the extra league |
| The ČSLH Executive Committee has confirmed that this year’s Tipsport Extra League will start on schedule and will take place according to the approved schedule. Due to the expected impacts of the epidemic and quarantine measures, the CSLH Executive Committee also approved the rules on how to proceed in postponed matches and determining the order. Matches of the basic part, which due to quarantine measures will not take place according to the schedule, must take place within 40 days, otherwise they will be considered unfinished and the result will be decided by the sports and technical commission of ČSLH. In the event that some of the teams do not play all matches in the basic part, the average point gain will be included in the table, while the condition for advancing to the Generali play off Tipsport extra league will be completing at least half of the matches in the basic part. |
| Playoff matches, which will not be possible to play at all due to quarantine measures, will be counted on the fact that if the measures concern both teams, the series may be shortened by a decision of the CSLH Sports and Technical Commission. In the event that the playoffs cannot be completed at all, the team that achieved the best position in the basic part and was not excluded from the playoffs on the day of the end of the competition will be entitled to the title of Champion of the Czech Republic. |
Communication with hygienists, clubs is still ongoing ….
We communicate with all possible people and authorities, be it APK President, President of the NSA. Through Milan Hnilička, I communicate with everyone who is in charge of this agenda, be they hygienists and experts from the government.
The number of fans in the stadiums is limited, do you have a plan to play in the extra league even behind closed doors?
Currently, such a scenario is not and I cannot predict what can and cannot happen. Currently, the conditions for people’s access to stadiums, I’m not saying positive, but compared to European competitions, we have some of the best conditions.
Time is turbulent, do you have x possible scenarios on the table?
Certainly we have, we have agreed on regulations if the situation gets complicated. There are quarantines, unplayed matches, we have set rules for this.
České Budějovice lost in the first preparation after quarantine
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What is the ideal scenario for the upcoming season?
The best case scenario is that all matches take place without being delayed or postponed due to covid diseases. In the past, we did not allow flu diseases, we did not consider this a reason to postpone the match. Now we will have to look at this a little differently, because the junior teams we have replaced in the past may also be affected.
And the worst case scenario?
A state of emergency and a ban on everything that will cripple and stop the competition. This is the worst case scenario, but in the meantime there are x possibilities: quarantines, stricter conditions, closed stadiums. The worst thing is that the competitions would be canceled, as in the spring, when movement was banned and the sports grounds were closed.
What is the current situation with juniors?
I am also the director of the junior league of academies and we have problems there, the teams are in quarantine at the moment when the competition is running.
This condition cannot be ruled out even in the extraleague …
It is possible, these are very close groups, but the clubs adhere very strictly to safety and hygiene measures, so that players from other categories do not intersect or meet them. Clubs approach this with all seriousness.
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