Canton withdraws approval – after Spengler Cup cancellation – HC Davos has to be in quarantine

As last year, the Spengler Cup will not take place this December. The tournament had to be canceled after HC Davos had to report 17 corona cases. This was reported by the newspapers from CH-Media. Actually, a total of eleven games with six teams would have been on the program between December 26th and 31st.

There has already been a lot of fuss about the traditional tournament in the past few days. Team Canada and Ambri-Piotta canceled the tournament on Monday. At short notice, the organizers were able to win HC Slovan Bratislava from Slovakia as a substitute team. In addition, the Bern Selection team would have participated in the Spengler Cup as a second substitute with players from the three Bern National League clubs Bern, Biel and Langnau.

Official confirmation by the tournament organizer followed at noon. As HC Davos has communicated, the canton of Graubünden has withdrawn the club’s health permit to hold the Spengler Cup. “Due to the accumulation of cases in the area around HC Davos, the epidemiological prerequisites for holding the major event are no longer in place,” said the canton’s announcement.

The decision should prevent a possible Omikron outbreak and take into account the economic importance of tourism, it said. When the license is withdrawn, the protective screen for public events comes into force. How much of the costs incurred could be borne by the federal government and the canton is currently being clarified.

The latest developments also have consequences for the HCD itself. As a precaution, the canton doctor sends the entire team, including staff, into quarantine. “The tests on December 24th were positive for a large number of team members despite the 2G certificate and a large number of people who had already been boosted,” said the club. What effects this Covid outbreak will have on game operations in the championship is still open and will be communicated in due course.