No compromise in Bixel case

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Defender Gem Lean Bixell remains ruled out of the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The intolerance (or is it arrogance?) when dealing with one of the most talented players in the country is infuriating.

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The association's generals should actually thank the hockey gods for bringing defenders like LeAnn Bixell to their knees. He just turned 20 this May. He performed well in Sweden's top flight last season. The NHL first-round draft pick is now trying to compete for a spot in the Dallas Stars organization in the most important league in the world.

But Bixell has been ruled out of the national team until the 2026 World Cup, including the 2026 Olympics, by the association's sporting director Lars Weibel and national team coach Patrick Fisher.

Not because he was a Haroldry. But the professional model did not accept a call-up to the U20 national team for understandable sporting reasons (to focus on an adult hockey career). Few sports association decisions have made the hockey world so angry.

The most important task of an association president is to manage delicate situations with commitment, tact and humility. May not interfere with the daily work of the association's administrative and sports departments. This will make him a disruptive factor. But because of his high position, he was able to mediate matters as a mediator. Or actually should be able to do that.

It is hoped that Stefan Scherer will be able to resolve the “Bixel case” as part of a summer “peace summit”. Especially since the president of the association has a past with handball. He even played on the national team with Andre “Andou” Bixel, Lien Bixel's father. In fact, Stefan Schärer had announced before the silver medal match at the World Championships in Prague that he would deal with the matter.

Now several months have passed. With the first international match scheduled for the weekend, it's time to ask Stefan Schärer: What have you achieved in this regard? The answer is somewhat sobering. there is nothing. Stefan Scherer says:

and then? What's the result?

This does not sound like a resolutely peaceful mission. When asked, national team coach Patrick Fisher confirmed that there had been no reconciliation and that tough sanctions remained in place.

So the “Peace Summit” failed. But does this, the harshest sanction of the modern era, make sense against one of the best young players who has done nothing wrong disciplinary or athletically? Leanne Bixell has all the prerequisites to become a top player in the national team by 2026. Since the NHL has released professional players, he will definitely be able to participate in the 2026 Olympics.

Stefan Schärer failed to reach a compromise in the Bichsel case.Image: trapezoid

Patrick Fischer, who diplomatically avoided making such controversial comments, at least found soothing words:

The response to a request for comment from Lian Bichsel's agent, Frédéric Holdener, may be an indication of how hardened the situation has become on all sides :

Stefan Schärer failed in his most important domestic political mission to date as association president. Perhaps the grandeur of the silver World Cup is not conducive to humility and compromise everywhere. The principles that the national team must abide by at all levels, that's it, may make sense.

Patrick Fischer will leave Lian Bichsel until 2026.Image: trapezoid

But compared with Sweden (43,759) or Finland (35,457), the number of teenagers in Switzerland is limited, with only 16,098. We have to look after every talent, and this intolerance (or is it arrogance?) when dealing with one of the most talented players is infuriating.

Isn't the art of compromise and diplomacy one of the secrets of the Union's success?

PS National coach Patrick Fischer is right: Lian Bichsel still has plenty of chance of Olympic glory despite being banned from competing in 2026: Switzerland hopes to organize 2038 winter Olympic Games. At 34 years old, Lian Bichsel will be in the prime of his defenseman career and, if the hockey gods so desire, will be able to lead our team as the new Roman Josi in front of his own crowd. The national team won medals. Then after the ceremony, in retrospect, there was a conciliatory message in the TV studio discussion with former national team coach Patrick Fisher: They had exaggerated the possibility of being left out of the national team. , would not do that again today. But maybe it did help and everything is fine now…

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