(WCCO/WGR 550) - The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is making neck guards mandatory for all levels of competition in the tournaments they run.
This now includes the Men's and Women's World Championship, and even the Winter Olympic Games. The federation initially only had neck protection mandates for the Under-20 World Junior Championship and the Under-18 World Championship tournaments.
This new mandate does not include pro leagues across the world like the National Hockey League.
The move comes after Hibbing, Minnesota native Adam Johnson was killed when his neck was cut by a skate blade during a game in England in late October.
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Johnson was playing for the Nottingham Panthers in Sheffield, England when his throat was slashed during an on-ice collision. A video from the game shows Johnson getting up from the ice and leaving a trail of blood as he's led away.
Officials in the U.K. arrested a player on suspicion of manslaughter in Johnson's death.
The 29-year old Johnson played two years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, spent a number of years playing in North American and then began playing in Europe.