Over and out - Clubs put an early end to the 2019-20 season

In a telephone conference, the clubs of the National League and Swiss League have decided to cancel the season.

No more hockey in Switzerland. Robert Hradil / RvS.Media

Due to the current spread of the Coronavirus, there will be no more hockey this season in Switzerland. This is what the league and the officials of the clubs have decided this morning.

Aufgrund der behördlichen Anordnungen im Kanton Tessin ist die Fortführung der Saison in der #NationalLeague und #SwissLeague nicht mehr möglich. (1/2) March 12, 2020

In addition to the National League and the Swiss League the season is also canceled in all the other Swiss hockey leagues, the SIHF further announces. All decisions regarding Swiss champions and promotions and relegations for the 2019-20 season will be taken at the extraordinary league meeting tomorrow.

Denis Vaucher, Director of the National League and the Swiss League says: "We have a responsibility to protect our players, club members and their health, and that is now a top priority."

Switzerland is thus the seventh European country to cancel the remainder of the season, after Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Norway, Poland, and Slovenia.

The decision comes as no surprise. Yesterday, the canton of Ticino introduced new measures, which banned all sporting events until the end of March - including, of course, all hockey games and practices of HC Lugano and HC Ambrì-Piotta.

This morning, Daniel Koch of the Federal Office of Public Health told SRF that these measures will certainly soon be applied other cantons as well. Tomorrow the Federal Council will hold another press conference on the matter.

( 12 March 2020 | tme* )