Norway would continue during the 1950s to challenge the strongest national hockey teams. From the 1960s, the sport became more popular in the nation but national team achievements would decline as mild winters did not result in government support to construct artificial ice rinks to replace what had traditionally been relied on in the past due to weather conditions. NIHA president Tore Johannessen managed Norway at the 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships. After the 1965 World Championships, Norway was no longer allowed to compete at the highest level, and the NIHF resigned itself to competing at the top of Pool B instead. Qualifying for the Winter Olympics was still within reach, however, and Norway managed to do so in both 1964 and 1968.