Luc Tardif reacts after being elected new IIHF President by the 2021 IIHF Semi-Annual Congress.
photo: Christina Korovnikova
Luc Tardif has been elected as new IIHF President succeeding René Fasel, who held the position for 27 years and didn’t stand for re-election. He won the presidential election in the fourth and last round against Franz Reindl.
Tardif becomes the 14th IIHF President and the second from France after founding President Louis Magnus.
Petr Briza was elected as Senior Vice-President, and the Regional Vice-Presidents elected are Bob Nicholson (Americas), Aivaz Omorkanov (Asia & Oceania) and Henrik Bach Nielsen (Europe & Africa).
Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer and Marta Zawadzka were re-elected as female Council members. In the first round for the remaining positions Heikki Hietanen, Anders Larsson, Pavel Bure, Raeto Raffainer and Andrea Gios were elected with a majority with two positions open for a second round. Franz Reindl was elected in the second round and Viesturs Koziols in the third round. Click here for the Council page.
“Thank you very much. René [Fasel] asked me eight years ago to be Treasurer. But I’m still a hockey guy and I know I can offer more. I only have my determination, my crazy passion for this sport, my sense of team work, my respect for the people and my honesty to offer. Believe me, I will do everything to be at the level of your expectation. I’m committed to open up our beautiful sport, to promote it, to defend it, to prepare it for the future but above all to respect it with dignity,” Tardif said before using a quote he likes:
Tardif becomes the 14th IIHF President and the second from France after founding President Louis Magnus.
Petr Briza was elected as Senior Vice-President, and the Regional Vice-Presidents elected are Bob Nicholson (Americas), Aivaz Omorkanov (Asia & Oceania) and Henrik Bach Nielsen (Europe & Africa).
Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer and Marta Zawadzka were re-elected as female Council members. In the first round for the remaining positions Heikki Hietanen, Anders Larsson, Pavel Bure, Raeto Raffainer and Andrea Gios were elected with a majority with two positions open for a second round. Franz Reindl was elected in the second round and Viesturs Koziols in the third round. Click here for the Council page.
“Thank you very much. René [Fasel] asked me eight years ago to be Treasurer. But I’m still a hockey guy and I know I can offer more. I only have my determination, my crazy passion for this sport, my sense of team work, my respect for the people and my honesty to offer. Believe me, I will do everything to be at the level of your expectation. I’m committed to open up our beautiful sport, to promote it, to defend it, to prepare it for the future but above all to respect it with dignity,” Tardif said before using a quote he likes:
Alone we go faster but together we go further.
He thanked Fasel for everything he did as well as the other Council members outlining Kalervo Kummola. “I’m ready now to take the lead. Thank you for the confidence. I’m confident about the future. We will have a great Council around me,” Tardif said.
Press Conference Luc Tardif & Petr Briza
New IIHF President Luc Tardif and Senior Vice-President Petr Briza talk to the media after the elections.
Tardif, who has citizenship of France and Canada, was elected to the IIHF Council in 2012 where he served as Treasurer. He played junior hockey in Canada and professional hockey in Belgium and France where he started his hockey career off the ice with Rouen’s youth program. He was the head of the ice hockey department at the French Ice Sports Federation from 2000 to 2006. In 2006, he was elected as first President of the newly created French Ice Hockey Federation, a position he was re-elected for in 2010, 2014 and 2018. He was also Chef de Mission of the French Olympic delegation at the 2014 and 2018 Olympics. He has worked as member of the IIHF Competition Committee (2008-2012) and as chairman of the IIHF Finance Committee (since 2016).
In his presentation the day before, Tardif underlined the importance of development and bouncing back after the Covid-19 crisis that hit hockey in many countries with a successful restart of the usual activities. He also presented an idea for a larger IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I by merging the two groups, for a “Flying Coaches” program to bring word-class coaches to countries for seminars and wants to further develop 3-on-3 hockey.
He underlined that a President should listen and try to understand the needs of the member national associations. And that’s what he did with individual sessions with almost all member countries during summer. A “Virtual World Tour” or “Co-Construction Process” as he called it during 90 hours.
In his presentation the day before, Tardif underlined the importance of development and bouncing back after the Covid-19 crisis that hit hockey in many countries with a successful restart of the usual activities. He also presented an idea for a larger IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I by merging the two groups, for a “Flying Coaches” program to bring word-class coaches to countries for seminars and wants to further develop 3-on-3 hockey.
He underlined that a President should listen and try to understand the needs of the member national associations. And that’s what he did with individual sessions with almost all member countries during summer. A “Virtual World Tour” or “Co-Construction Process” as he called it during 90 hours.
Luc Tardif (right) won the presidential race in the fourth round against Franz Reindl (left) to succeed long-time President René Fasel (middle).
photo: Minas Panagiotakis / HHOF-IIHF Images
Hours of voting for the IIHF Council term of 2021-2026 started with the vote for the president that included five candidates. Elections were held over several rounds with the candidate with the fewest votes dropping out until a candidate received the majority of votes. In case of the President it took the maximum of four rounds until Luc Tardif was elected with a majority of votes.
Petr Briza (CZE) was elected as Senior Vice-Presidents in two rounds of voting followed by the election of the Regional Vice-Presidents.
Bob Nicholson (CAN) was re-elected as Regional Vice-President Americas after Dave Ogrean (USA) had withdrawn. Aivaz Omorkanov (KGZ) was elected as Regional Vice-President Asia & Oceania in a vote against Thomas Wu (HKG), who previously held the position. Among the candidates for Europe & Africa two candidates were remaining with Henrik Bach Nielsen (DEN) winning the vote against Franz Reindl (GER). Presidential candidate Sergej Gontcharov (BLR) withdrew his application as regular Council member and thus leaves the Council.
Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer (HUN) and Marta Zawadzka (POL) were re-elected as female Council members. The IIHF Council must consist of at least two female and at least two male members.
That left seven open positions on the Council for twelve remaining candidates. In the first round six candidates received a majority of votes and were elected: Heikki Hietanen (FIN), Anders Larsson (SWE), Pavel Bure (RUS), Raeto Raffainer (SUI) and Andrea Gios (ITA).
Two positions were still open for the second round with six candidates still in the race as the last-ranked candidate dropped out and one withdrew. Franz Reindl (GER) was elected in the second round but since no other candidate reached a simple majority, a third round was needed for one positions with four candidates running. Viesturs Koziols (LAT) was elected as last Council member.
Petr Briza (CZE) was elected as Senior Vice-Presidents in two rounds of voting followed by the election of the Regional Vice-Presidents.
Bob Nicholson (CAN) was re-elected as Regional Vice-President Americas after Dave Ogrean (USA) had withdrawn. Aivaz Omorkanov (KGZ) was elected as Regional Vice-President Asia & Oceania in a vote against Thomas Wu (HKG), who previously held the position. Among the candidates for Europe & Africa two candidates were remaining with Henrik Bach Nielsen (DEN) winning the vote against Franz Reindl (GER). Presidential candidate Sergej Gontcharov (BLR) withdrew his application as regular Council member and thus leaves the Council.
Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer (HUN) and Marta Zawadzka (POL) were re-elected as female Council members. The IIHF Council must consist of at least two female and at least two male members.
That left seven open positions on the Council for twelve remaining candidates. In the first round six candidates received a majority of votes and were elected: Heikki Hietanen (FIN), Anders Larsson (SWE), Pavel Bure (RUS), Raeto Raffainer (SUI) and Andrea Gios (ITA).
Two positions were still open for the second round with six candidates still in the race as the last-ranked candidate dropped out and one withdrew. Franz Reindl (GER) was elected in the second round but since no other candidate reached a simple majority, a third round was needed for one positions with four candidates running. Viesturs Koziols (LAT) was elected as last Council member.
The IIHF Council 2021-2026 poses for a group photo after the election.
photo: Christina Korovnikova
The election day and voting of over eight hours concluded with the Internal Auditors, Disciplinary Board, Ethics Board and Appeal Board.
Outgoing IIHF President René Fasel was named Life President after serving as President for 27 years and on the Council for 35 years. Outgoing Council members Kalervo Kummola, Tony Rossi, Vladislav Tretiak and Thomas Wu as well as outgoing Internal Auditor and former Council member Christer Englund were named Life Members. Outgoing Vice-President Kummola also served a lengthy period of 23 years on the IIHF Council. Long-time Disciplinary Board chairman Gerhard Mosslang was named Honorary Member.
President – Round 1:
Franz Reindl 29
Luc Tardif 29
Sergej Gontcharov 19
Henrik Bach Nielsen 18
Petr Briza 8
President – Round 2:
Luc Tardif 38
Franz Reindl 34
Sergej Gontcharov 21
Henrik Bach Nielsen 12
President – Round 3:
Luc Tardif 51
Franz Reindl 34
Sergej Gontcharov 20
President – Round 4:
Luc Tardif 67 elected
Franz Reindl 39
Senior Vice-President – Round 1:
Petr Briza 53
Bob Nicholson 33
Henrik Bach Nielsen 20
Senior Vice-President – Round 2:
Petr Briza 70 elected
Bob Nicholson 33
Regional Vice-President Americas:
Bob Nicholson elected
Dave Ogrean withdrew
Regional Vice-President Asia & Oceania:
Aivaz Omorkanov 62 elected
Thomas Wu 40
Regional Vice-President Europe & Africa:
Henrik Bach Nielsen 61 elected
Franz Reindl 44
Council members (female):
Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer elected
Marta Zawadzka elected
Council members (male) – Round 1:
Heikki Hietanen 76 elected
Anders Larsson 76 elected
Pavel Bure 60 elected
Raeto Raffainer 58 elected
Andrea Gios 52 elected
Franz Reindl 50
Frank Gonzalez 39
Dave Ogrean 33
Miroslav Satan 33
Viesturs Koziols 31
Petras Nauseda 28
Jaan Molder 18
Joaquin de la Garma 14
Council members (male) – Round 2:
Franz Reindl 46 elected
Miroslav Satan 30
Frank Gonzalez 29
Dave Ogrean 28
Viesturs Koziols 27
Petras Nauseda 26
Council members (male) – Round 3:
Viesturs Koziols 33 elected
Dave Ogrean 26
Frank Gonzalez 22
Miroslav Satan 20
Internal Auditors:
Fabio Oetterli
Hub van Grinsven
Disciplinary Board:
Nancy K. Orr (chairperson)
Marek Palus (deputy chairperson)
Tino Boos
Lyman G. Bullard
Sampo Liusjarvi
Jan F. Orth
Alexander Ramsay
Anna Verhoustinska
Michel Wuilleret
Ethics Board:
Heiner Kahlert
Jolan Kegelaers
Richard W. Painter
Brianna Quinn
Jan Svensson
Appeal Board:
Cecilia Hager
Outgoing IIHF President René Fasel was named Life President after serving as President for 27 years and on the Council for 35 years. Outgoing Council members Kalervo Kummola, Tony Rossi, Vladislav Tretiak and Thomas Wu as well as outgoing Internal Auditor and former Council member Christer Englund were named Life Members. Outgoing Vice-President Kummola also served a lengthy period of 23 years on the IIHF Council. Long-time Disciplinary Board chairman Gerhard Mosslang was named Honorary Member.
President – Round 1:
Franz Reindl 29
Luc Tardif 29
Sergej Gontcharov 19
Henrik Bach Nielsen 18
Petr Briza 8
President – Round 2:
Luc Tardif 38
Franz Reindl 34
Sergej Gontcharov 21
Henrik Bach Nielsen 12
President – Round 3:
Luc Tardif 51
Franz Reindl 34
Sergej Gontcharov 20
President – Round 4:
Luc Tardif 67 elected
Franz Reindl 39
Senior Vice-President – Round 1:
Petr Briza 53
Bob Nicholson 33
Henrik Bach Nielsen 20
Senior Vice-President – Round 2:
Petr Briza 70 elected
Bob Nicholson 33
Regional Vice-President Americas:
Bob Nicholson elected
Dave Ogrean withdrew
Regional Vice-President Asia & Oceania:
Aivaz Omorkanov 62 elected
Thomas Wu 40
Regional Vice-President Europe & Africa:
Henrik Bach Nielsen 61 elected
Franz Reindl 44
Council members (female):
Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer elected
Marta Zawadzka elected
Council members (male) – Round 1:
Heikki Hietanen 76 elected
Anders Larsson 76 elected
Pavel Bure 60 elected
Raeto Raffainer 58 elected
Andrea Gios 52 elected
Franz Reindl 50
Frank Gonzalez 39
Dave Ogrean 33
Miroslav Satan 33
Viesturs Koziols 31
Petras Nauseda 28
Jaan Molder 18
Joaquin de la Garma 14
Council members (male) – Round 2:
Franz Reindl 46 elected
Miroslav Satan 30
Frank Gonzalez 29
Dave Ogrean 28
Viesturs Koziols 27
Petras Nauseda 26
Council members (male) – Round 3:
Viesturs Koziols 33 elected
Dave Ogrean 26
Frank Gonzalez 22
Miroslav Satan 20
Internal Auditors:
Fabio Oetterli
Hub van Grinsven
Disciplinary Board:
Nancy K. Orr (chairperson)
Marek Palus (deputy chairperson)
Tino Boos
Lyman G. Bullard
Sampo Liusjarvi
Jan F. Orth
Alexander Ramsay
Anna Verhoustinska
Michel Wuilleret
Ethics Board:
Heiner Kahlert
Jolan Kegelaers
Richard W. Painter
Brianna Quinn
Jan Svensson
Appeal Board:
Cecilia Hager