The reports that several referees cannot officiate the Hockey Allsvenska final series between Djurgården and AIK due to threats and harassment have sparked strong reactions in Swedish hockey.
Sam Hallam, national team captain for Tre Kronor, emphasizes that he himself does not have insight into the current referee cases.
However, he, like many others, has taken part in the reporting and according to Hallam, it is now also time for leaders and players to "look in the mirror".
We should be able to have internal dialogues and discussions about how we view things and a decision can be criticized. But we must find a tone that calms things down, says Sam Hallam when TT meets him ahead of the Easter weekend's national team matches against Finland in Gothenburg.
"Must do what we can"
We want to have the best referees on the ice when it matters most, and if that's not possible due to threats and harassment, it's despicable, and we must do what we can to prevent it.
Do you think you've had too harsh a tone towards the referees?
It's a balancing act, and I don't deny my own responsibility, for we've all been there. I think the debate that has emerged during the SHL playoffs has been good about how we leaders and some of the players express ourselves, says Sam Hallam, who led Växjö to three Swedish Championships (2015, 2018, 2021) before becoming national team captain.
Referee manager told of threat scenario
It was in an interview with Expressen earlier in the week that referee manager Björn Wettergren told of the threat scenario directed at several of Sweden's top-level ice hockey referees.
It will show who cannot officiate these matches, I don't want to say who just now, but it's despicable that they can't be there due to their safety, said Wettergren, among other things.
The first Hockey Allsvenska final match is played on Wednesday, with Djurgården as the home team.
