Head of the headquarters of the Russian national hockey teams Romain Rotenberg on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), he spoke about the task that will await the national team after its return to the international scene.
Since 2022, the Russian national team has been suspended from participation in competitions under the auspices of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) due to the situation in Ukraine.
— If we go to the Olympics, what will be the task?
— How did we perform in 2018? First place. Our goal is always first place. You know, there are pessimists and optimists. So we are optimistic. And we are preparing to fight for victory as soon as we return to international competitions.
— What do you think of the statement by the President of the Czech Republic after the World Cup?
— Should we discuss the meaning of his statement? Pure political history. The State Department told him to say so, and that’s what he said. They are not all independent, they all follow American guidelines.
— Is it difficult to develop hockey during the sanctions period?
– This is a time of opportunity. Difficulties are challenges. People who are not afraid of difficulties accept this challenge and look for a solution. The solution has already been found. Including thanks to cooperation with India. Field hockey is played there, it is a very popular sport. From a business perspective, this is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are 10 billion dollars in cricket! We are looking for competition with cricket in the future.
If we have a league like a cricket league with a budget of 10 billion, everyone will go. Any hockey player from Canada. It’s business, nothing personal,” reports a correspondent, according to Rotenberg.
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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.
