After the accidental death of professional Adam Johnson, the world ice hockey association IIHF is introducing mandatory neck protection for all of its competitions such as world championships or Olympic tournaments.
The IIHF announced this on Monday. It is not yet known when the regulation will come into force and depends on the availability of additional equipment. Neck and neck protection will be mandatory in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) from January 1, 2024, and the German Ice Hockey Association will introduce the measure from the 2024/25 season.
Fatal cut from a skid
The former Augsburg DEL professional Johnson was killed by a cut on his neck from an ice skate blade during a game for his Nottingham Panthers at the Sheffield Steelers at the end of October. This regulation is not binding for the North American professional league NHL. There would have to be an agreement between the league and the players’ union.
“I would say, I believe that after a certain age everyone is old enough to decide for themselves. I also tried to put it on. During training or before training it was rather difficult for me to move the safety device,” said German NHL professional Tim Stützle from the Ottawa Senators. But of course you also try “A role model for the younger kids” to be.