Head coach of the Russia 25 team Romain Rotenberg after the victory over the Belarusians, he said that the team had proven that they should participate in the World Championships.
On Saturday, in Minsk, the Russia 25 team defeated the Belarusian national team with a score of 4:2 in the series of matches “Grand Tour of the National Team Stakes League”. Goalkeeper Artemy Pleshkov was recognized as the best player of the tournament among the Russians, who conceded four goals in five matches and kept three clean sheets. “Russia 25” won all four matches against the Belarusians during the May tour (6:0, 4:0, 6:2, 4:2) and also beat Kazakhstan (1:0).
“We understood that today would be a very difficult match. The opponent has strengthened. They really wanted to win. I would like to thank the Belarusian team. They play very well, the technical staff is strong. The judges judged firmly, according to the sporting principle. Everything was according to the rules. But when we played in Russia, especially in Tula, the refereeing was based on concepts. This problem absolutely needs to be resolved.
Only the SKA guys came to the national team? I read this in separate interviews. This is completely false! That’s probably what it says in the custom materials. Representatives from 10 clubs came to see us at the same time! Guys show patriotism, catch the puck with their face and bleed themselves. But people have no conscience to give such interviews. Let’s see where they live. Certainly not in Russia. They are broadcasting behind the cordon!
We do not intervene in politics. We wanted to prove, on a sporting level, that we were worthy of competing in the World Cup. And we did it. A big thank you to all the players who came to us. Russia deserves to participate in the World Cup, as does the Belarusian national team. We have proven it.
— What are the prospects for the Russian national team next season? Should we tour again in May?
— Our prospect is to return to the World Cup. When the SVO ends, we’ll go back, that’s all. We want to play with the participants of Group A of the World Cup. Because we should be there by right. We are ready to play even with the Somali pirates if they enter this group, ”reports a correspondent, reporting Rotenberg’s words.
The International Hockey Federation (IIHF) has extended the suspension of the national teams of Russia and Belarus from international competitions for the 2024/25 season. Russian teams are no longer allowed to participate in tournaments under the auspices of the IIHF starting in 2022.
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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.
