RIGA, Feb 2 (LETA) - Riga will meet its responsibility in organization of Ice Hockey World Championship in 2021, said Riga Mayor Martins Stakis (Progressives/For).

"The hockey world may rely that Riga will meet its responsibility. There have not been negotiations on additional funding yet, but we are aware that Riga will have to be engaged,"  said the Riga mayor.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Council has voted to confirm Riga as the sole host for the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, following the decision to withdraw the tournament from Minsk, Belarus.

The IIHF Council cited the ongoing challenges placed by COVID-19 together with various technical reasons for its decision to keep the tournament in one city. With continued uncertainty surrounding international travel restrictions, the Council believes that keeping all teams in Riga throughout the tournament and avoiding travel between two host countries is the safest and most cost-effective way to operate the event.

The championship will take place from May 21 until June 6.

The Council of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) earlier decided to to move the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship from Minsk, Belarus.

The 2021 championship had to be organized by Minsk and Riga, but the Latvian government indicated that it does not want to co-host the tournament with Belarus, as the regime of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko has been conducting a violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in the country.