Patrick Fischer has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Swiss national team with immediate effect. Jan Cadieux will take over as his successor. This was announced by the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation on Wednesday.
After initially wanting to hold on to Fischer, the Swiss association has now decided to part ways. On Monday, it became known that Fischer had bought a fake Covid certificate before the Olympic Games in Beijing.
"In connection with Patrick Fischer's admission that he traveled to the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing with a fake Covid vaccination certificate, Swiss Ice Hockey is taking the necessary steps," the association announced in a press release on Wednesday. The 50-year-old will be relieved of his duties with immediate effect.
The national team will be coached by the current assistant and designated head coach Jan Cadieux at the home tournament in Zurich and Fribourg.
"Values that were not lived by Patrick Fischer"
"The case is legally closed, but it has triggered a public discussion about values and trust, which the federation takes very seriously," said Urs Kessler, President of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. "Trust and integrity are central to our sport and our federation. From today's perspective, our initial assessment that the matter is closed was too short-sighted."
The statement continues: "It is about values and respect that are central to Swiss Ice Hockey and were not lived by Patrick Fischer in 2022." At the same time, the association thanks Patrick Fischer "for his undisputed great sporting successes." Under his leadership, the Swiss national team has continuously developed over a decade.
