U-turn in the EHC Arosa case: the traditional Grisons club has been successful with its appeal and can now be promoted to the Swiss League after all. The necessary promotion agreement will be amended.
06.03.2025, 11:02
06.03.2025, 11:51
SDA
By reaching the play-off semi-finals in the MyHockey League (MHL) last Saturday, EHC Arosa fulfilled the sporting criterion for promotion to the second-highest Swiss ice hockey league. The nine-time Swiss champions (most recently in 1982) have now also achieved success off the ice.
As Swiss Ice Hockey announced in a communiqué on Thursday, the Swiss League's appeals body has decided that "EHC Arosa's promotion agreement with regard to the 'Arosa Ice Classics' will be adjusted and the event can continue to take place on a non-match day between Christmas and New Year". EHC Arosa has signed the revised promotion agreement and thus fulfills the requirements for promotion.
"Arosa Ice Classics" may continue to take place
In mid-December 2024, the club from Graubünden was the only one to meet the criteria for a license - including economic viability, sporting aspects, logistics, infrastructure, safety and the sports medicine service. Nevertheless, the officials from Arosa missed the February 24 deadline for signing the promotion agreement.
The club in the Grisons mountains insisted that the "Arosa Ice Classics", a show event held every year between Christmas and New Year, would retain its place in the club calendar even with the promotion to the Swiss League. This is despite the fact that the second-highest league continues to play in the week of the Old Year.
Normal match operations will not be disrupted
It has now been agreed that the traditional event, which is very important for EHC Arosa from a financial point of view, may continue to be played on a non-match day, as it is "a friendly match, the organization of which on a non-match day has no influence on championship match operations", as Swiss Ice Hockey announced.
The Appeals Body also came to the conclusion that "the approval of friendly matches is not regulated in the eligibility regulations, but is part of normal match operations". Therefore, it is not within the remit of the License Commission and "should not be part of the promotion agreement".
Swiss Ice Hockey further writes: "The assessment of the financial situation is the responsibility of the Swiss League's license commission, which is responsible for awarding the club license in accordance with the eligibility regulations. In this context, EHC Arosa, like all other clubs in the Swiss League, must submit the annual season reporting to the License Commission by 15 July 2025 at the latest before a definitive license is issued."
