Manu Varho, a member of the conditions committee of the International Hockey Federation, says that the direct feedback from the players has been 99% good. According to him, the procedure carried out on the night between Sunday and Monday is part of the protocol of the World Cup.
TAMPERE. The Swedish players in particular have been critical of the condition of the ice in the Tampere WC arena. On Monday, the discussion got really heated, when there was a bump and a puddle of water in the arena on the morning ice of Sweden and Denmark.
Conditions manager of the Ice Hockey Federation and member of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s conditions committee Manu Varho now answers Urheilu’s questions and tells you whether the criticism has taken away your sleep.
Criticism and concern have been expressed about the condition of the ice. Has there been a reason for criticism?
– 99 percent of the players have praised the ice. It really is Kimmo Timonen according to the podcast Kimanttia, i.e. diamond. The critical comments must have all come in on Monday morning, right?
– On the night between Sunday and Monday, a mechanical procedure was performed on the ice, which meant that we brightened the logo and lines. For example, due to video checks, all lines must be clearly visible in order for us to get the correct judgments.
What kind of feedback have you received from the players?
– Super fast, super good, super nice. The Hungarian players even said that the ice is too fast for them and should be slowed down.
– All the feedback received directly from the players has been very good. There has also been no negative feedback through the directorate of Iihf.
Can you still unlock that ice brightener?
– In practice, the ice is cleared in every value competition. The surface of the ice is planed away quite harshly. Then new ice is grown on top of it. On Monday morning, the teams (Sweden and Denmark) announced that there is a small puddle of water on the ice. No problem, everything is fine.
Did ensuring the visibility of the logo of the main sponsor (Skoda) come before the safety of the players?
– Safety always comes first. You wouldn’t play there at all if it was unsafe. Clearing the ice was all about normal protocol.
How embarrassing is it that the ice wasn’t in order on Monday, the morning of game day?
– It really saddens me a lot. Fortunately, no games have been cancelled. The ice is not chipped or cracked. The ice is tough, durable, slippery, suitably hard. One upset will distort the public image, but we know that the ice is really in top condition.
The ice has also been described as soft, how do you comment?
– I have measured the hardness of the ice, I have a separate measuring device for that. The ice here is as hard as in Latvia in 2021. There they said that the ice is too hard.
– We value all feedback. If the ice feels soft, you have to go beyond the question of how soft and whether anyone has ever complained about the ice being too hard. This ice is suitably hard, it has been measured.
What is the condition of the ice today, Tuesday?
– In fantastic! It’s really in top condition. Finland will play fresh puck with Denmark. Just look at how the puck slides really nicely there and the players enjoy themselves.
Have you had sleepless nights because of criticism?
– No sleepless nights, thick leather. I appreciate all the feedback. It’s really nice to discuss the conditions, now it’s gone a bit on the negative side. The message has gone forward as a negative spiral.
– The funny thing here is that the ice is being made by the same guys as in the two league seasons and the last World Cup. There have been no changes in personnel, on the contrary, we have only strengthened it.