German lawsuit over Olympic ice hockey

Months before the start of the Winter Games, the German Ice Hockey Federation is concerned about organizational problems and the state of preparations in Milan.

11 November 2025

From: dpa

"The plan is to fly to Milan beforehand to take a look at the arena where we'll be playing twice. We should have seen it before we arrive and aren't surprised," said national coach Harold Kreis after the Deutschland Cup in Landshut.

"There's still work to be done on the stadiums, I'd say," said DEB (German Ice Hockey Federation) Sports Director Christian Künast on the sidelines of the Deutschland Cup in Landshut. He added that the current condition of the smaller arena, which is being temporarily erected at the Milan trade fair grounds, is particularly problematic.

The German men will play two of their three preliminary round matches there, and the women will play all of theirs. Months ago, World Federation President Luc Tardif criticized the Olympic organizers, primarily regarding the stadium plans, and demanded improvements.

Long distances are also a topic.

Künast also finds the distances in the northern Italian metropolis, where the ice skating sports are held at the Olympics, difficult: "The long distances are a problem that we have also addressed." The two ice hockey venues in Milan are about 30 kilometers apart.

"The coach also has to consider: Does it make sense to even go on the ice if only 20 minutes are planned, but you're sitting on the bus for three-quarters of an hour?" said Künast with regard to training ice time, but also noted: "Under the banner of the five rings, many people forgive a lot."