Timo Backman, Sports Director of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, has been nominated as the General Secretary of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. Backman is responsible for the overall project management as well as international relations. Backman will also continue in his position as the Sports Director during the World Juniors project.

“I’ve participated in 23 World Juniors as the General Manager of our national team, my first tournament was Saskatoon, Canada in 1990. I think it’s fair to say I am more than familiar with the event itself and know the special requirements related to organizing World Juniors,” Backman said.

Operative tasks will be run by Tuula Puputti and Kimmo Oikarinen, who have been nominated as the Deputy General Secretaries for the project. Puputti and Oikarinen were responsible for organizing the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship tournament in Lappeenranta and Imatra in April 2014.

The rest of the key positions will be operated by operative Finnish Ice Hockey Association staff members. In addition, altogether approx. 600 volunteers will be needed to run the event. Volunteer recruitment will start in January 2015.

The 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship will be played in Helsinki, at Hartwall Arena and Helsinki Ice Hall from 26 December 2015 to 5 January 2016. The groups will be announced in January 2015 based on the final standings of the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in Toronto and Montreal.