Lidingö Vikings take on Hammarby in Hockeytwåan on Friday evening.
But the audience stopped due to the “security situation.”
– Much more than that, we can’t get out of it, says Ludwig Stenberg, the Vikings’ athletic director.
“Due to the security situation that has arisen in connection with the first team’s match against Hammarby tomorrow, that match will be played without an audience and the hall will be closed.
“In consultation with the municipal security officer and police, this is done to ensure the safety of players, captains and operational staff.”
This was announced by Lidingö Vikings HC, eighth in the standings in Hockeytwåan Östra, on its website ahead of the home meeting at Exakt Arena with 14th-placed Hammarby IF.
“Threat image before the match”
Hammarby wrote on their website that Lidingo informed them that the “pre-match threat” was the reason for the meeting with the municipal security department and the police.
– We believe that the match will be played in front of successful teams. After that, Lidingo will talk about why, Hammarby team manager Toni Halmheiden tells Sportbladet.
However, Ledingo’s sporting director, Ludwig Stenberg, remains silent.
– He says: It was a small situation which meant we needed to make a decision to close the hall.
There is a lot of information on the site, can you tell me more?
– Yes, but the information we have on the site is sufficient at the present time. We have an ongoing dialogue internally and with our opponents. We keep it there now. Much more than that we can’t come up with.
“A small club meets a big club”
Is he related to Al-Muayyad?
– Unfortunately, I cannot comment further at the moment. Everyone involved is informed of what is happening. I can’t say more at this moment. But we are a small club and we are facing a big club. So we chose to do it this way.
How is the team affected?
– No surprise. And training tonight to prepare for tomorrow’s match.
Is this the first time the hall has been closed?
– Yes, of course. This is the situation.
The match starts at 19.30 on Friday.