Start of the season of the Women’s League, which now consists of eight teams: The Lugano Ladies are saved for the time being

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Swiss women’s ice hockey is increasingly coming into the spotlight. This has been ensured by an upturn in recent months. The news two weeks before the start of the season that the chairman of the Lugano Ladies had been arrested for financial crimes did not match the positive mood.

The 44-year-old Italian, who had only been leading the women’s club for a few months, had run into serious financial problems. CEO Flavia Petrimpol made no secret in ‘La Regione’ of the fact that an amount between 50,000 and 100,000 francs was missing. The reason: The arrested man spoke to the investments of Lugano Ladies. But the money never arrived.

Your participation in the season was in jeopardy. Now the first is completely clear: two days before the start of the season, the Lugano Ladies confirmed in writing to the association that their gaming activities are secured thanks to two new sponsors. For now.

Including major clubs

After the arrest of the women’s chairman, HC Lugano clearly distanced itself from the women’s team and emphasized that since 2018/19 it is “no longer subordinate to the Hockey Club Lugano and the Hockey Club Lugano AG”. However, other major Swiss clubs are now strongly committed to women’s hockey.

Bomo Thun was integrated into the SC Bern organization and will now play under its flag. The HCD has taken over the Thurgau Ladies, who are now based in Davos. Following the promotion of the women’s team, Friborg is another major club represented in the Women’s League. Ambris HCAP Girls promoted last season. The eight-man competition is completed by the ZSC Lions, Langenthal and Neuenburg. “The involvement of the big clubs was key to this revival,” said Paolo Angeloni, Director of Leagues and Cups at Swiss Ice Hockey.

Not only do the improved conditions increase the quality of the Women’s League, but also the fact that the suspension of the PHF professional women’s league in North America has brought top-class foreigners to Switzerland. The competition dominater ZSC Lions, who achieved the double last season with the national title and the cup victory, is being challenged. Especially from the Bernese women and the stronger HCAP girls. That’s what drives them. “Winning titles is part of our DNA,” says ZSC women’s manager Angelika Weber, who is looking forward to the challenge.

Women’s competition: Saturday, September 16: Bern – Fribourg, 4:30 PM, Blick.ch. Davos Women – HCAP Girls, 6:30 p.m

Source : Blick