IHUK chief to depart after unite plans fail

Ice Hockey UK chairman Rich Grieveson will stand down from his role after the EIHA snubbed the unification of the sport.

Grieveson, who has been in post for five years, will leave on March 1, with the process of recruiting a new chair already underway.

He told the IHUK website: “Over the past five years I have tried my very best as chairman of Ice Hockey UK to identify and drive improvements within our sport.

“During my tenure as chairman, my main objective was to secure the required support and commitment to deliver a new, single national governing body for the sport that allowed for a co-ordinated and integrated governance and management model – the result of which would allow our sport in the UK to reach its maximum potential.

“Whilst this proposal received support from IHUK, the club members in Scotland and the majority of members in England, it did not receive the required 75% support from the EIHA membership, which would have allowed the sport to move forward in a unified way.

“Having driven this agenda as a core priority for five years and following the EIHA vote, I have taken the decision that the time is now right for me to resign as chairman of IHUK and allow someone with renewed energy and focus to take the sport forward.”

Grieveson also rightly highlighted some of the success stories of his tenure, including its improved governance policies, its financial status, the success of junior and men’s World Championship tournaments and the success of the GB men’s team.

Pete Russell’s side earned promotion in both 2017 and 2018 to qualify for the IIHF World Championship in 2019, when they ensured survival with a historic overtime win over France against all the odds on betting sites on betpack.com.

Their 2020 campaign was of course cancelled due to coronavirus, but they will once again dine at the top table in 2021.