Entitlement to Accreditation

All submitted media accreditation applications are subject to approval by the IIHF and the local championship organiser. Accreditations are, in general, granted to professional and working media who are assigned by their editor to professionally cover the championship, and who have confirmed on their application form that they are not working for television or radio companies.

General Access Policy

All accredited media shall have free access to cover all team practises, game day skates and games. All accredited media shall have access to the media centre, the media tribune (press box), the mixed-zone area and the media interview room. If the number of reporters exceeds the number of seats in the media tribune or if an unusual number of media is expected to the mixed zone or to the media interview room, the organizers have the right to make special priority arrangements.

As predetermined in the IIHF Championship regulations, the media centre and the media tribune must offer seats with working conditions for at least 300 journalists.

Post Game Mixed Zone

Players and assistant coaches must be made available in the mixed zone area no later than 10 minutes after the conclusion of the post game ceremonies. The general media access period is 30 minutes, calculated from the moment the first player arrives. The media officers of the teams will take requests from the media for interviews of players and assistant coaches and the media officers will make them available in the mixed zone.

All players are to be available during the general media access period. Up to five players are mandatory to attend the mixed zone. The media officers are recommended that players with most requests for interviews shall attend. If, after a reasonable time, the team’s media officer determines that there is no media interest in particular players, they may be excused. All players called to the mixed zone area are requested to wear the player’s official jersey.

The media officer must inform media whether one of the requested players is selected for doping control. That player must be made available to media upon the conclusion of the doping control. 

Rights holders (TV and Radio) have a priority to the interviews in the mixed zone area and they can interview the players immediately after they have left the ice.

Post Game Press Conferences

A media conference with both head coaches will take place after each game in the media interview room no later than 15 minutes after the conclusion of the game. The media host will escort both coaches from the dressing room to the media interview room. Translation to English will be provided as mandatory and also translation to other languages will be provided depending on interest level and interpretation availability.

Upon special request, a player can be added to the post game press conference.

Post Practice Interviews

All interview requests after practises shall be forwarded to the team’s media officer or team host. Interviews will take place in the mixed zone area of either the main rink or the practice facility. The general media access period after non-game day practices is 30 minutes, calculated from the moment the first player arrives. Any player who leaves practice prior to its conclusion must remain available for the general media access period, unless alternate arrangements are made by the team’s media officer. 

Coaching staff and the media officer are entitled to limit game day interviews to 15 minutes. Interview requests on other occasions during the championship shall be addressed to the team media officer. The players and coaches are entitled to decline any requests for impromptu interviews in other areas, such as the team’s hotel.

General

Following a practice or game, players who must remain in the dressing room due to medical treatment for any portion of the access period, must make themselves available in the mixed zone area as soon as possible following the conclusion of treatment. When a player’s medical treatment requires longer than 30 minutes, the team’s media relations officer shall make appropriate arrangements for the player to meet the media.

Right-Holder Interviews in the Mixed Zone

All pre-game, post-game interviews, including those during the intermissions by the rights-holders in the mixed zone area, must take place in front of the rights-holders interview area or in front of the official IIHF World Championship back drop area. All players are requested to keep the official playing uniform on during all the interviews.

TV & Radio Flash Interviews

The IIHF recommends the playing teams to participate in flash interviews after the first and second period, if so requested by the broadcaster. The maximum time for a flash interview is 60 seconds. The interviews will take place right behind the player bench area.

Dressing Room Access Following the Bronze and Gold Medal Games

Pending on the approval of the teams’ managements, the IIHF will arrange a limited dressing room access (maximum seven reporters from the main media outlets) for media following the two last games of the championship. Only media from the country of the team will be allowed to the dressing room with special passes and they will be escorted by a press officer. The dressing room access will be limited to 10 minutes, calculated from the moment the dressing room is opened for access. The team must open the door to the dressing room no later than 15 minutes after entering the room.

The reporters will leave the room immediately after the conclusion of the 10-minute access period, upon which the normal post-game procedures commence.

Things to Observe for Accredited Media

The media centre, the press tribune in the arena, the mixed zones and the media interview rooms are areas for working press only and the officials associated with media relations and media services. These are designated areas for working press and must be respected as such.

Therefore we ask you observe the following rules in order to maintain the respect of these working areas:

Wearing national team jerseys or any excessive fan apparel in those designated working areas for media is considered as improper and accredited journalists who do, will be asked to remove the apparel.

Excessive cheering and “fan behaviour” in the press tribune and media centre will be strongly reprimanded as it is considered unprofessional, and is disturbing for working media.

Accredited journalists are not allowed to ask players for autographs at any time in any of the above-mentioned designated media working areas.

Accredited reporters are not allowed to switch accreditation passes with representatives of other media outlets in order to get unauthorised access.

Breach of these rules may result in the media accreditation being revoked.