Championship in the bubble

How the main hockey event of the year goes

The last week in Riga is mostly rain. In the rain in the city center, a three-meter grinning hedgehog named Spike is a symbol of the World Hockey-2021 championship. This hedgehog, by the way, is the only thing that remains of the participation of Belarus in the organization of the championship, which, according to the original plan, she had to accept with Latvia. When the symbol was chosen, there were three applicants-finalists: a hedgehog and two raccoon options. Not one seemed to the jury quite convincing, as a result, the Belarusian creative agency Dab brought a hedgehog to mind. And then there were elections, brutal suppression of protests - and the International Hockey Federation, under pressure from the world community, decided to transfer the entire championship to Riga. But the Belarusian hedgehog still remained.

The championship began on May 21 and will go until June 6. For the first time in the history of hockey, the championship is held "in the bubble." It looks like this. In the city center is the Radisson Blue Latvia Hotel tower. The passage to it is closed by metal fences - as in stands or at a rally. For barriers, you can only buses 16 teams that participate in the championship - they carry athletes to matches and training and vice versa. Just in case, several guards in costumes with walkie -talkies, just in case, warn the entrance to the hotel, warn: "No one is inside, only athletes." Nearby are several police cars. So that no one has an unnecessary temptation to park near the hotel and check the bubble for strength, the municipal parking on the street adjacent to the hotel is still closed. Those who did not notice the sign and still tried to park, politely, but convincingly drive away the police.

It is also impossible to destroy the bubble from the inside. All the time that hockey players do not train or do not play, they must spend at the hotel (the Latvian national team applies to this).

The same rules are for coaches, doctors and all personnel who serve the needs of the teams.

Athletes can leave the hotel with two routes. Up to two ice arenings - in the Olympic Center and in the Arena Riga complex, where all matches are held - to go for ten minutes. Before the training arena in the Daugava complex (behind the river) - about twenty minutes.

You cannot go into the city. In fairness, there is now not so much entertainment. It is forbidden to collect companies. Restaurants and bars work, but only on terraces (and in Riga now rainy and cool) and only until 9 pm.

Limited working hours - by the way, a problem. Several bars (however, they can be counted on the fingers - not only during, for example, the World Cup, which was literally watched in every nooks can) set the screens on their terraces and broadcast the championship matches. But if the game begins, for example, at 20:15, then you can look at the bar for the first period, then get to the house for a break and look there for two more periods - at nine exactly terrace will close.

This is probably why not all went to install screens. In some bars, hockey sounds are heard inside (waiters and bartenders look), but visitors cannot be there.

So, if you take a walk in the center of Riga, you can not notice that a hockey competition is in the city. Only the very hedgehogs, periodically encountered in the squares, stretchs with the announcement of the championship and the windows of souvenir stores - there are also hedgehogs, only knitted ones.

But at least once, the bubble still almost burst. On the first day of the championship, the owners - Latvia - beat the Canadian national team before 2-0. The team, located on the 10th runoff in the world ranking of IIHF, beat the team that is considered the best in the world. Yes, and dry. Yes, and on the first day. And without spectators in the stands that would support. Of course, the hockey players remotely supported all Latvia: hockey here is not just the main national sport, this is national love.

In the evening at the arena, where the match ended, a crowd gathered. The output hockey players could be waved from afar (for them coronavirus restrictions are strictly valid). But no one really reminded the assembled fans about the two -meter distance. Even the police, who were many: they, of course, are law enforcement officers, but above all - also citizens of Latvia, which means they love hockey.

And on Thursday, the Latvian government decided to give fans a gift. The format of the championship will be changed from June 1, and the matches will be able to pass with the audience in the stands - however, they will only be launched by vaccinated.