stockblock

Fully agree ! Plus it hurts the 7 teams that wanted to play but got locked out. Don't know how the discussions went with the other nations after the first 2 rejected hosting. I can assure you this comes from a good source. One of the teams but i cannot go further on that.

I have the reason for the cancel made on the Round One tournaments below from a very good source. Group N- UAE, Kyrgyzstan, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Georgia Group O- Thailand, Chinese Taipai, Bosnia, South Africa, Iran Both UAE and Thailand the original hosts declined to host the tournaments. IIHF then determined after checking with the other 8 that none were willing to host or simply did not have acceptable rinks to host. Thus unable to find a acceptable host for these two tournaments the IIHF cancelled them. To me totally unacceptable. Says much that you can't find some place to play thus the original two turned it down getting a automatic advance.

Agree this is a total mess. First us Hockey fans have to search google to find out that Hong Kong posted about a round one qualification tournament. Then later searching google you can find Thailand posting about another first round tournament. Then UAE posts about having to play in a 1st round tournament. Then South Africa posts a letter from the IIHF welcoming them as the first African country to qualify to play in a 1st round tournament in Thailand. All of that had to be searched thru the likes of google because the IIHF posted nothing. Then suddenly the IIHF advances 3 of the 10 teams to 2nd round qualifications in the events page with a small comment cancelled round 1. No word why. No indication why the other 7 nations were just tossed. I KNOW FOR A FACT South Africa had already selected their team and fund raised for support yet suddenly are dropped without a notice. This is a real mess. Almost wish FIBA ran Ice Hockey. At least we as fans would get information without having to do intensive searching.

I just sent a message to the team that told me about the First Round Group O tournament, Asked them if it was cancelled. Will post their response when i receive it.

Should add to the above post about 3 teams moving on to the 2nd round from the 2 groups. I saw that posted on another site then contacted one of the 10 teams to ask about it. That team responded in minutes saying indeed the IIHF advised them that 3 of 10 would be advancing. Only thing they were not advised of was how the best of the 2nd placers will determined at this time.

Interesting change to 1st round Ice Hockey qualification. Both group N (uae, Kyrgyzstan, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Georgia) and Group O ( Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Bosnia, South Africa, Iran) . THREE Teams will qualify for next round ( Bth group winners plus the best second place team.. Never recall ever seeing a 2nd place team advancing in Olympic Ice Hockey qualifications

There is a group o. Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Bosnia, South Africa, and Iran

There is a group o includes Thailand. Chinese Taipia, Bosnia, South Africa, and Iran. South Africa and Irsn are first timers