Asia League regular season cancelled
by Martin Merk|04 SEP 2020
Korean club Anyang Halla won most Asia League titles, five.
photo: Reiji Nagayama
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The Asia League with eight club teams in three countries in the Far East cancelled the regular season.

The league had previously been postponed the start in January but since the situation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures hasn’t improved, it was decided to cancel the 2020/2021 regular season.

The Asia League, which was launched in 2003, includes club teams from Japan, Korea, the Russian Pacific island of Sakhalin and previously also from China.

The executive committee with representatives from all clubs set three conditions to be able to operate the 2020/2021 season: a lifting of travel restrictions between Japan, Korea and Russia; the lifting of quarantine requirements; and an environment in which ice arenas can be used for sporting event. Due to unfavourable conditions it was decided to cancel the season with the aim of holding a tournament at the end of March and in April 2021.

In the meantime teams can hold games within their countries. For the five Japanese teams the Asia League Ice Hockey Japan Cup is planned with 40 games between 10 October and 27 December.