– I will continue to talk about this. I think it is important that you at least have a dialogue and discuss these questions: What is it that makes you not want to protect yourself ?, says Morgan Johansson who is project manager for player safety at the Swedish Ice Hockey Association.
DN has previously reported on his proposal that ice hockey players who were born in 2004 and later should keep their lattice or play with a full visor on their helmet even after junior time.
Several cases with skates in the eye area and knocked out teeth have received attention in recent years – injuries that could easily have been avoided with comprehensive protection, according to Morgan Johansson. According to the hockey association’s insurance company Gjensidige, a third of the claims in recent years have been facial injuries.
– You could play more sacrificially. You could cover shots and not be afraid of getting a puck in the face in the same way, says Morgan Johansson whose hope was that the proposal for requirements for comprehensive face protection would be passed on all the way to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) congress during the World Cup.
But that did not happen. According to Anders Larsson, chairman of the Swedish Ice Hockey Association, the proposal was rejected early.
– This question has been raised internally in the Swedish Ice Hockey Association but has not been taken further and has been on the table in the IIHF. I have checked this with the referee committee and the issue is not on the agenda at all, not in Sweden either, he says.
He has no clear answer as to why the proposal was rejected. DN has also sought David Bergman, head of judges at the association who is said to have been involved in the process, for a comment.
– I can say that I understand the important job that Morgan has. He has a zero vision regarding the work with concussions and other individual injuries. It is completely natural that in his role he considers many constructive ideas to reduce the damage, says Anders Larsson.
He adds that A comprehensive process is needed to address these issues, while the world’s national federation has agreed to strive for a common regulatory framework, and no wish has yet been expressed that the face should be further protected.
– Everyone should strive to have the same rules all over the world, but this is not on the agenda at all.
If you talk to a player today, you think it belongs to the sport a bit, that you get a scar or something.
Recently, Morgan Johansson got through the proposal to allow tackles in Swedish women’s hockey. However, he did not receive any justification for rejecting his proposal for face protection in the same vein.
– It is a question that is quite controversial. It’s just like that. I have to accept that they do not take this further, but it is my job to try to find solutions, says Morgan Johansson.
How do you feel the issue is controversial?
– If you talk to a player today, you think it belongs to the sport a bit, that you get a scar or something. Players say that they do not take it as it looks right now, but if it becomes a rule, you can imagine it. Then you can ask yourself the question “why?”.
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