The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) will require the wearing of neck protectors at all upcoming competitions.

According to Reuters on the 4th (local time), the IIHF Board of Directors decided to require the wearing of neck protectors in all competitions following the recommendation of the Medical Committee.

IIHF competitions include international competitions such as the Winter Olympics and the IIHF World Championships.

The wearing of protective gear is already mandatory in Under-20 and Under-18 competitions, but the exact implementation date for other competitions may be flexible depending on equipment supply, the IIHF added.

The move follows the incident last October when Adam Johnson, an American player playing in the British Ice Hockey League, was decapitated by the blade of his opponent's skate during a game.

At that time, Johnson collided with opposing player Matt Petgrave, during which Petgrave's skate blade cut Johnson's neck.

Johnson got back up after the crash, but took about three steps before collapsing. The game organizers immediately transported him to the hospital, but he eventually died from excessive bleeding.

Accordingly, the British police believed that Petgravewas intentional and arrested him on charges of murder.

Reuters reported that since this incident, the number of players in the North American Ice Hockey League (NHL), the world's best, has increased voluntarily wearing neck guards. 19가이드03