TOKYO, Japan – Hockey Canada announced Wednesday (Tuesday in Canada) that president and CEO Bob Nicholson has been elected to the position of vice-president (Americas) with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Council during the IIHF Semi-Annual and General Congress in Tokyo. This year marks the first time in the organization’s 104-year history that an IIHF Congress was held in Asia.

The IIHF Council is comprised of the president, René Fasel (Switzerland), three vice-presidents (Nicholson, Kalervo Kummola (Finland) and Thomas Wu (Hong Kong)) and seven council members. The IIHF general secretary, Horst Lichtner, is a non-voting member of the IIHF Council. The IIHF Council is responsible for overseeing the direction of the IIHF, including the enforcement of the statutes, bylaws and regulations, executing decisions of Congress, reviewing committee recommendations, initiating proposals for Congress, overseeing sponsor and broadcast agreements and controlling all IIHF championships and the Olympic ice hockey competitions.

Bob Nicholson, 59, has been Hockey Canada’s president and CEO since 1998, managing a staff of nearly 100 within five offices across Canada.The native of Penticton, B.C. joined Hockey Canada in 1990, overseeing national team hockey operations, as well as business operations. Over his career with Hockey Canada, he has overseen the growth and development of national teams, marketing programs as well as numerous grassroots programs such as mentorship, the initiation program, skills academies and skills manuals. On the international stage, Nicholson has overseen Canada winning 60 medals, 37 of which were gold, including five Olympic gold medals, one Paralympic gold medal, five IIHF World Championship gold medals, ten IIHF World Women’s Championship gold medals and 12 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medals.

“It is an honour for me to be elected vice-president with the IIHF Council, and I would like to thank the Hockey Canada Board of Directors and staff for their support in taking on this role,” said Nicholson. “I look forward to working with council members and all national hockey organizations to grow the great game of hockey worldwide.

“On behalf of the IIHF, Hockey Canada and Canadians involved in hockey at all levels, I would also like to take this time to thank and recognize the contributions of Murray Costello who is stepping down from his position on IIHF Council. Murray has been a tremendous ambassador for Canadian hockey for over 30 years, first as Hockey Canada’s president and CEO and then as a council member with the IIHF. He has had a tremendous impact on the game of hockey in Canada and around the world.”

The International Ice Hockey Federation, founded in 1908, is the governing body of international ice hockey and inline hockey. The IIHF features 72 member associations, each of which is the national governing body of the sport. Besides controlling the international rulebook, processing international player transfers and dictating officiating guidelines, the IIHF runs numerous development programmes designed to bring hockey to a broader population. The IIHF also presides over ice hockey in the Olympic Winter Games, and over the IIHF world championships at all levels: men’s, women’s, men’s under-20, men’s under-18 and women’s under-18. Each season the IIHF, in collaboration with its local organizing committees, runs some 25 different world championships in the five categories.

The IIHF General Congress that is underway in Tokyo this week is the IIHF's highest legislative body and makes decisions about the rules of the game, statutes, and bylaws for the next four years. The General Congress, which is made up by representatives from all IIHF member associations, meets every four years and also elects the president and the council. For further information on the IIHF Congress, click http://www.iihf.com/channels1112/generalcongress/home.html

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