The Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) have dismissed the Adelaide Adrenaline’s claims that ineligible players had been used by multiple clubs during the season. The league clarified that Adelaide’s claim centred around the classification of Class B imports signed by the Brisbane Lightning and Perth Thunder. The AIHL’s review concluded that in both cases the Class B import classification was valid and that no further action will be taken.
The Class B import category covers players from the Asia-Pacific region with the Brisbane Lightning’s player in question being Batu Gendunov and the Perth Thunder’s being Yu Hikosaka. The dispute appears to be around the players prior experience outside of their country of registration. Gendunov had spent his junior career playing in Canada and Russia before moving to Mongolia in 2021. Hikosaka meanwhile had spent his junior career in Austria and the United States before starting senior career in Japan in 2016.
Further information
- AIHL announces statement on Adelaide Adrenaline and Class B Imports review by Stephen White (AIHL, 17 August 2024)
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