President of the Russian Hockey Federation (RFH) Vladislav Tretiak in an interview with , he said that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Hockey Federation (IIHF) were acting deceptively, depriving Russian teams of the opportunity to participate in major tournaments.
The IIHF suspended Russian and Belarusian teams from participation in competitions under its auspices at the end of February 2022, then extended the decision for the 2023/2024 season.
At the end of March, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced recommendations for the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions. Recommendations include individual admission, neutral status, banning participation in team sports, and banning participation of athletes associated with security forces or who have expressed support for the SVO.
— What did you regret the most in 2023?
— Because we don’t play in the world championships. The international level is important and interesting. We work for hockey. We are training young people who will defend the honor of the country. And we want our guys to receive the title of world champions. You can’t imagine how proud they would be!
— We could have a fantastic team at the World Junior Championships…
– It’s true! Someone will start shouting: “Why do we need these world championships? Go fuck them to hell! » This is what veterans who have already conquered and accumulated everything can say. And they won’t say that.
But imagine that a child has been playing hockey since the age of five. Its peak was during these years. But he does not participate in the World Championships or the Olympic Games. But he wants to become Olympic champion! He wants to be world champion! Strive to achieve these titles like a pro. And that opportunity is being taken away from us. It is very bad. Because the athlete deserves this chance through their talent, hard work and discipline. How many times has he denied himself… And at his peak, he cannot realize himself.
To understand this, one must live such a life, from the age of five, washing oneself in blood and sweat, climbing to the top. And there, at the top, people’s dreams are taken away from them. After all, when you are a world champion or an Olympic champion, it is forever. You and your family are proud of these titles. The town where you grew up, the whole country. And you’re like, “Yes, I’m great at doing this.” »
How nice it is to go out in public and be announced as an Olympic champion. It’s very difficult to win this title. And I’m talking about any sport. It required a lot of work, effort, courage, perseverance, talent and love of the profession.
And when your chance at life is taken away from you in the IIHF, I say to the International Hockey Federation: “What do you mean? I have 50 people playing in the NHL. And there is no problem! And you won’t even allow me to send the Russian junior team to the World Championships. They answer me: “Security”. I told them: “We guarantee security during the Junior World Championship if it takes place in Novosibirsk and Omsk” – “No, we need absolute security.”
But how does Ovechkin play in Washington, Malkin in Pittsburgh, Shesterkin and Panarin in New York, Kaprizov in Minnesota, and no security problems arise, and our hockey players are carried in their arms?
This is why there is a two-faced relationship here. I think the IOC is treating us badly and the IIHF is making a big mistake in that the Russian team is not participating in the world championships. But we all believe that will change one day. And we will come back, becoming even stronger,” Tretyak told .
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
