 This dispute led to the negotiation of the 1972 Summit Series, of which Ahearne was one of the four signatories who approved the event on 18 April 1972, along with Fred Page, Joe Kryczka, and Andrey Starovoytov.He retired as IIHF president in 1975, and was replaced by Günther Sabetzki.Ahearne received Ontario Hockey Association Gold Stick Award in 1948, and the AHAUS citation award in 1949.