Velvet Divorce

The Velvet Divorce refers to the break up of the former nation of Czechoslovakia which was created at the end of World War I when Austria-Hungary was broken up into several nations. The Czech Republic and Slovakia were formed in 1991 when communism was replaced in a bloodless revolution with the official separation taking place on January 1, 1993.

The 1993 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships were taking place during this change. The team representing Czechoslovakia was called "Czech-Slovak" starting on 1 January. In international ice hockey tournaments, the Czech Republic took over Czechoslovakia's place in the A-groups, while Slovakia had to start in the lower divisions.