World Cup dream bursts immediately before departure

• ofWolfgang Krzizok

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Stunned and disappointed reigned in the cabin of the German women’s ice hockey team – and tears also flowed. The World Cup was canceled immediately before the flight to Canada.

Erding / Füssen – They were sitting on packed suitcases when the devastating news came: The ice hockey world championship in Canada has been canceled. Instead of a flight to North America, the German women had to go home. The German team had prepared for the tournament in Füssen for three weeks, which was due to start on May 6th. On Wednesday, the province of Nova Scotia, where the tournament should have taken place, decided not to allow foreigners to enter due to the corona pandemic.

There were also some players in the squad who were active in the Erdinger junior team, such as Franziska Feldmeier, Celina Haider, Tabea Botthof and goalkeeper Sandra Abstreiter. She stands between the posts in the Providence College team and came from the USA especially for the three-week preparation.

“That hit us very hard,” says the 22-year-old. “We just sat there in shock and couldn’t believe it. We were ready to go and had everything packed. ”Everything had been done by the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) to keep the virus away. “We were tested every day and had a PCR test every other day,” adds Abstreiter. “We would have also accepted the eight days of individual isolation in Canada.” Especially bitter for her: Last year she would have been at a World Cup for the first time, but this tournament was also canceled due to Corona. “You’re so close to it and looking forward to it, and then that. At the moment it’s just disappointing.”

“After all had been tested again at the end of the preparation on Tuesday and all were negative, the final roster was announced,” reports Haider. Each player was told in a one-on-one interview why she was there or not, because the provisional squad still had to be reduced. On Wednesday morning training was announced again, in the evening the ice hockey bags should be fetched from the stadium, because the departure to Canada was planned for the next day. But in the afternoon the message came from the team manager for a short-term meeting. There the team was informed of the cancellation.

“That was a shock for everyone, because who expects a tournament like this to be canceled the day before departure,” says Haider, who admits: “Some tears have flowed. There was so much work in there and we all worked hard. It’s so bitter. ”Feldmeier says she is very disappointed about the rejection and also sad. “At the time, nobody thought that the day before the flight would be canceled,” emphasizes the 22-year-old. “We couldn’t believe it and at first didn’t even realize it.”

Botthof emphasizes that she was also “surprised and disappointed”, but that she has now digested the initial shock. “We were ready for sport,” says the 20-year-old. “Now we wait to see what happens next. But I’m still looking forward to playing with the national team again. “

When this will be the case has not yet been determined. At least the world association IIHF has left the option open to catch up on the World Cup in the summer. “Let’s hope that there is a solution,” says Abstreiter, and Feldmeier adds: “I hope that we will get the relevant information soon.” “From now on I have normal online lessons again,” she says: School at home instead of the ice hockey world championship in Canada.

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