Western Collegiate Hockey Association
IIHF News Flash: 2008 IIHF Hall of Fame indictees announced
Dec. 20, 2007
The barrier is broken. Cammi Granato (USA), Angela James (CAN) and Geraldine Heaney (CAN) became the three first women to be inducted to the IIHF Hall of Fame's player's category.
They will be joined by Mario Lemieux (CAN), Igor Larionov (RUS), Philippe Bozon (FRA) and builder Art Berglund (USA). The induction will take place in Quebec City in May during the 2008 IIHF World Championship. The target date is May 15, the actual 100 year birthday of the IIHF.
IIHF President René Fasel and Walter L. Bush Jr, Chairman of the IIHF Hall of Fame Selection Committee, announced the inductees to the IIHF Hall of Fame and the recipient of the Paul Loicq Award; Juraj Okolicany (SVK) for outstanding contributions to international hockey.
Go to IIHF.com for full bios and photos of the 2008 IIHF Hall of Fame inductees and the Paul Loicq Award winner.
"I am immensely happy that we have reached the phase in hockey history when we rightfully can induct women to the player's category," said IIHF President René Fasel. Almost two decades have passed since we started with the IIHF World Women Championship and the first pioneers have retired which means that the selection committee could, with perspective, evaluate their contributions to the game."
"This was a very important decision in the history of the IIHF and it feels very good that this coincides with the 100 year anniversary of the IIHF and that this history making group will be inducted in Quebec City, Canada the country that has led the development of women's hockey."
The IIHF Hall of Fame was introduced in 1997 and now boasts 150 hockey greats from 22 nations.
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