Ban on Ice Hockey World Championships Games Disappoints Australian Sports Fans
A Jewish spokesman has expressed disappointment in the federal government for not showing stronger leadership in condemning the ban on International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) world championship qualifying matches in Melbourne due to the presence of the Israeli national team.
Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, believes that the decision to cancel the games will negatively affect Australian sports lovers. Last year, Melbourne experienced a series of incidents targeting Jews after the terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with the most severe being the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in December 2024.
Ryvchin warns that the decision to cancel the games is just one example of how ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are impacting the Jewish community. He fears far-reaching consequences for the Australian sports-loving public as a whole.
He criticized the decision made by Ice Hockey Australia (IHA) and mentioned that it could set a precedent for similar cancellations in the future, affecting other events beyond ice hockey.
Ryvchin emphasized the need for stronger government leadership in condemning anti-Semitic actions and called for support for the Israeli ice hockey players and officials affected by the ban.
He expressed concern over the rise in anti-Semitism in Australia, particularly in Melbourne and Sydney, and urged the federal government to take a strong stance against such incidents.
Ryvchin also highlighted a recent incident at the Southern Sydney Synagogue in Allawah, where swastikas were painted on the building, as another example of the concerning trend of attacks on Jewish institutions.
He warned that the normalization of such acts could have a detrimental impact on Australian society and called for collective action to prevent further erosion of rights and values in the country.
