1.    Visa-free entry. Border and customs control. Security.

78th Ice Hockey World Championship will be held in Minsk from 9^th till the 25^th of May 2014. Minsk is the capital of Belarus. It is home to about 2 million people.

The Republic of Belarus is situated in the heart of Europe. Its territory is 207,6 thousand square kilometers. The population comprises 9.5 million. The shortest transport communications connecting Russia with the Western European countries lie on its territory. Belarus has a common border with Poland, the Baltic States, Russia and Ukraine.

The Republic of Belarus is a democratic social state with the rule of law.

Confirming a good tradition, the capital of Belarus once again opens its doors with all its hospitality to those who are selflessly devoted to their favorite game, who love and understand hockey. All participants of the World Championship are warm-welcomed to Belarus with now only 199 days remaining before its opening.

The National Airport “Minsk” will be the main point of arrival for the participants and official guests of the championship. It is located 34 km from Minsk.

“Green channels” will be organized at the airport for the incoming tourists.

Simplified border-crossing points will be operated for those who come to Belarus by car or by train. Separate customs and border corridors for participants and official guests of the championship will be set up to speed up the process of entry during the period of the championship.

The Presidential Decree has established a visa-free regime for official participants of the Championship and foreign tourists for the period from April 25 till May 31, 2014.

Listing in the IIHF Championship accreditation system will become a basis for a visa-free entry to the territory of Belarus for official participants.

Original or electronic ticket to the match will become such a basis for a visa-free entry for tourists.

The ticket entitles you to visit a corresponding game.

One ticket, a copy of an e-ticket or a certificate allows one entry to Belarus only for one foreign citizen or a stateless person. At the entry to and exit from Belarus a foreign citizen must have a valid passport and a ticket (or a copy of an e-ticket, or a certificate for the championship games).

The President of Belarus also took a decision on the issue of free entry visas, prior to the start of the world championship, to all participants of test events, held by the International Ice Hockey Federation, observers from national ice hockey federations, who would arrive in Minsk for acquaintance with terms of accommodation and holding of the world championship.

Besides, all the goods imported to the territory of Belarus for the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, except for excisable goods, shall be exempted from import customs duties and VAT in accordance with international obligations of Belarus.

Security of participants and guests of the world championship will be provided by local law enforcement authorities in close cooperation with arenas’ security services, where the championship games are to be held. Security at the arenas will be provided by units of the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus. Security services will also take additional control over accommodation places of official participants and guests of the championship.

2.    Accommodation

The IIHF and “Infront” have approved the following scheme of accommodation for participants of the 2014 IIHF WM:

Teams of Group “A”:

• Hotel “Minsk” will accommodate 3 teams:

Italy, France, Denmark.

• Hotel “Renaissance” will accommodate 5 teams:

Norway, Slovakia, Canada, Czech Republic, Sweden.

Teams of Group “B”:

• “Victoria — 1” will accommodate 2 teams:

Russia, Kazakhstan

• “Victoria — 2” will accommodate 5 teams:

Finland, USA, Switzerland, Germany, Latvia.

Game Officials will be accommodated at:

• Hotel “Garni”

Representatives of the IIHF:

The IIHF Congress Participants:

• “Victoria — Olymp” 

Media representatives:

• Hotel “Belarus”

Television (technical staff):

• Hotel “Svisloch”

• Hotel “Narochanskaya”

Coaching symposia participants:

• Hotel “Yubileinaya”

• Hotel “Planeta”

Most of the hotels are new ones and provide a high level of comfort.

4 meals a day for teams will be organized in all the places of accommodation.

Each team will have meals separately.

Free internet access will be provided in all the hotels.

3.  Accreditation and tickets

The main accreditation center will be located at the “Minsk Arena”.

The second accreditation center will be located at the “Chizhovka Arena”.

Organizing Committee of the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship upon agreement with the International Ice Hockey Federation have approved 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship ticketing program.

The ticketing program envisages a number of ticket packages:

1.       CERTIFICATE FOR ALL GAMES AT ONE OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP VENUES – on sale from September, 30.

2.       CERTIFICATE FOR ALL THE GAMES OF GROUP STAGE AT BOTH VENUES AND FINAL GAME AT MINSK ARENA – on sale from October, 14.

3.       CERTIFICATE FOR GAMES WITH NATIONAL TEAMS – on sale from October, 28.

4.       DAY-TICKETS (2-3 games) – on sale from November, 11.

5.       SINGLE GAME TICKETS – on sale from November, 25.

Tickets’ sale for hockey games is organized through the website of the 2014 IIHF WM official ticket partner “Ticketpro”. There you can choose a seat at one of the arenas, book a ticket and pay for it online.

Cost of tickets for the preliminary stage:

- “Minsk Arena” — from 6 to 50 euros.

- “Chizhovka Arena” — from 6 to 45 euros.

Tickets for the final stage — from 25 to 400 euros.

Ticket sales kicked off on September 30, 2013.

For Sponsors the applicable ticket order deadlines will be according to their contractual dates for single game ticket orders.

PAYMENT OPTION

You can choose the option of payment:

· iPay – use the balance of your MTS or Life:) account

· Credit card (Visa, MasterCard)

· “Raschet” System  (ERIP, unified pay and informational field) – pay at your convenience in any payment office

· Digital cash (WebMoney, EasyPay)

· Cash acceptance network through Self-service teller ОСМР(QIWI)

Payment for the tickets on the territory of Belarus is carried out in Belarusian rubles.

4.       Transport.

Each team during the world championship will have: a team bus, a car and a baggage truck.

All official persons and VIP guests of the world championship will be provided with transport: cars of the official main sponsor — “Skoda”.

Shipping and customs clearance of goods, imported in connection to the world championship, will be carried out by foreign limited liability company “DB Schenker”.

Upon arrival of teams at the airport, road police will provide escort for team buses to the places of accommodation. 

Transfers from hotels to the venues and back will be escorted by the road police as well.

Game officials, the IIHF Congress participants will also be provided with transport.

Official participants and guests of the world championship will enjoy free travel on public transport (bus, trolley, subway, city train).

5.                  Teams. Venues.

Groups of the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship

According to the IIHF World Ranking the following groups for the 2014 IIHF WM in Minsk, Belarus have been formed:

Group “A” («Chizhovka Arena):

1. Sweden

2. Czech Republic

3. Canada

4. Slovakia

5. Norway

6. Denmark

7. France

8. Italy.

Group “B” («Minsk Arena»):

1. Finland

2. Russia

3. USA

4. Switzerland

5. Germany

6. Latvia

7. Belarus

8. Kazakhstan.

The schedule of the 2014 IIHF WM has been approved and posted at the 2014 IIHF WM official website. The world championship officially starts on May 9, 2013 with an opening game: Belarus vs USA.

All 64 games of the 2014 IIHF WM will be held in the same city at two venues on standard European-size ice rinks of 60 by 30 meters.

“Minsk Arena” and “Chizhovka -Arena” are situated at a distance of 20 km (through the city) or 31 km (by the ring road).

The distance from the airport is 51 km.

Transportation (shuttle buses) between the venues and hotels will be organized.

Travel time from hotels to the venues is about 20 minutes.

The main venue of the championship is “Minsk Arena” (its capacity is 15,000 seats). It is one of the largest ice rinks in Europe, where KHL games are played.

A practice rink is located next to the “Minsk Arena” (100 meters).

“Minsk Arena” will host group “B” games, as well as 2 quarterfinals, 2 semifinals, bronze and gold medal games.

“Minsk Arena” has 8 locker rooms.

Each locker room has: a coaches’ room, doctor’s room (massage room), drying room, room for skates’ sharpening.

Close to the locker rooms are: warm-up area, gym, medical office, equipment center.

Fan zone of the Minsk Arena is arranged in a traditional way and comprises a stage, trade booths, places for public catering, toilets, storage rooms, main and additional exhibition areas for “Skoda” cars.

All this you can find on schemes.

Floor layouts of the Arena showing facilities and services that will operate there during the IIHF WM have been worked out.

 The second venue of the world championship is “Chizhovka Arena” (its capacity is 9,600 seats).

Its construction is scheduled for completion in December 2013.

Test competitions are planned to be held there before the IIHF WM. In January 2014 it will host the X Christmas International Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the prize of the President of Belarus (featuring teams from 12 countries) and a large international children’s tournament, which is scheduled for April, 2014.

The practice rink is located inside the Arena.

“Chizhovka Arena” will host group “A” games, as well as 2 quarterfinal games of the IIHF WM.

Distance from the airport – 47km.

Fan zone of the Chizhovka Arena is arranged in a traditional way and comprises a stage, trade booths, places for public catering, toilets, storage rooms, main and additional exhibition areas for “Skoda” cars.

All this you can find on schemes.

Floor layouts of the Arena showing facilities and services that will operate there during the IIHF WM have been worked out.

The arena can boast 16 locker rooms – 8 at the main arena and 8 at the practice rink.

Both venues will be equipped with medical offices, doping-control rooms.

Medical institutions of the city (traumatology, cardiology, dentistry) will have reserved places for emergency medical aid to hockey players if needed.

6.    Corporate design of the World Championship.

The OC has worked out a corporate design of the world championship and its graphic concept. They unite the love for hockey and symbolize a celebration on ice.

The slogan of the world championship – “Together we celebrate!”

In order to promote the IIHF world championship, city public transport (buses, subway trains, trams, trolleys) will be decorated with corporate design patterns.

Colorful billboards with ads of the 2014 IIHF WM are set up in Minsk and all regions of Belarus along the major highways.

Special departments have been opened at a number of trade centers to sell 2014 IIHF WM merchandise. Such departments are also decorated according to the stylebook.

National contest “Think up a name for the mascot” for the name and a biographic story of the Official Mascot of the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship was held in Belarus. According to the results of the online voting, the mascot received the name VOLAT, which symbolizes strength and courage in the Belarusian language. All in all about 10 thousand people took part in the contest.