Hockeyallsvenskan and Swedish Ice Hockey were rocked by yesterday’s public scandal as the Södertälje – Djurgården encounter was played with empty stands.
The chaos could also change the Allsvenskan concept of “Big Friday”.
– We will have to look into that of course, but it should be a later question in this case, says league sporting director Eric Reimann.
It was set for a hockey party yesterday when Allsvenskan held Big Friday, with outages at 6 and 8:30 p.m.
But yesterday’s match No. 18 between Södertälje and Djurgården was canceled after disturbances broke out in the stands.
Then the match ended in front of empty stands.
Djurgården eventually won 3-1 – and then the accusations rained down.
Södertälje’s manager, Robert Andersson, was furious afterwards that the match had ended.
-I don’t really care what the competition regulations say. We will investigate every possibility to try to achieve sporting justice in this matter. “The only sensible decision was to call off the game and we won 5-0 and three points,” he told the club’s website.
Chairman Peter Ornstrand told Länstidningen that SSK will investigate the possibilities of making financial demands against Djurgården after the vandalism at the arena.
Demands the resignation of the sports director
This morning, a meeting was held in which representatives of the two clubs, the hockey administration and the security department of the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation participated.
– What is revealed there will be announced later, says Allsvenskan’s sporting director, Erik Reimann.
The Södertälje Supporters’ Club today demands in an open letter the resignation of Erik Riemann. The stated reason is that Reimann said in a TV interview that “maybe something will happen on the other side” and was then referring to SSK supporters.
– I just relayed information from police and security officers at the site that SSK fans took banners from Animal Farm fans which would then be set on fire, says Reimann.
How do you view the Södertälje Supporters Club’s demands for resignation?
– I respect what people think and believe, but otherwise I have no comment.
How do you feel about yesterday’s event?
-I’m sad and sad, we planned a hockey party with Big Friday. The descent has begun after this, Good Friday has disappeared in its glory this evening. It is tragic for Hockeyallsvenskan, but above all for Swedish ice hockey.
Could the result be that Super Friday is changed with two rival meetings on the same evening?
– We will have to consider that, of course, which clubs will meet, but it should be a later question in this case, says Eric Reimann.
1/3Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand/Buildburn