CALGARY, Alta. – The following is a statement on behalf of Hockey Canada from Gina Kingsbury, director of women’s national teams, on the decision by the International Ice Hockey Federation to cancel the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship:

“Our staff and athletes are extremely disappointed to learn of the cancellation of the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship for the second year in a row. Our entire team has worked hard both on and off the ice to be ready to compete next month in Linköping and Mjölby, Sweden, even going so far as to cancel our selection camp out of an abundance of caution and to ensure our players and staff would be able to represent Canada on the world stage.

We understand the changing landscape and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and we know cancelling events is never a decision that is made lightly. We are grateful for the time and effort that has been put in to try and hold the event in a safe manner for all participants. We will now look forward to watching our athletes represent Canada and compete for a gold medal in the near future.”

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or following along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.