Roman Rotenberg spoke at the Russia-Africa summit in Saint Petersburg

In Saint Petersburg, the 2023 Russia-Africa summit is currently being staged.

Roman Rotenberg, the first vice-president of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and the head coach of Russia 25, was one of the speakers at the 'Sport: A Bridge of Friendship between Russia and Africa' strategic session. During his speech, he mentioned the prospects of cooperating with African countries in the field of ice hockey and how the sport can assist Russia in helping Africa develop.

First RIHF vice-president Roman Rotenberg:

- The President of our country, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, has emphasised that we are living in a time of opportunity. New opportunities are opening up in the world of ice hockey, which now has an historic chance to become the world's leading sport. In order to achieve this, we need to introduce ice hockey to new continents. We're in the process of strengthening our cooperation with different countries, and we can already see that nations such as India and South Africa are becoming increasingly willing to develop the sport. Such countries possess rich traditions in other sports like cricket, football and ball hockey. This means that we have all of the opportunities to develop ice hockey there too. The earlier we start the process, the quicker we will see the results.

The development of international cooperation is a vital state task. Sporting diplomacy forms one of the factors which will help us achieve this. When we compete, we become friends. At the same time, sport is a part of our culture and helps promote it. Emotional connections are created. Cooperation in sport isn't restricted by tournaments, it also involves science, business, the creation of new jobs and the health of nations.

By cooperating in the field of ice hockey, we can create a new bridge of friendship between Russia and Africa. The first factor will be the exchanges of experiences. Interest in ice hockey is currently rising in South Africa, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. We invite other African countries to also develop ice hockey, and we’re prepared to offer methodical and organisational assistance with regard to the demands of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Our country is one of the leading driving forces of ice hockey, so our experience will certainly be helpful for Africa. In order to increase the popularity of ice hockey, we can organise exhibition matches, training camps and educational events.

The second factor is the development and improvement of youth sport. All of our accumulated experience has been successfully implemented with the SKA Academy, which unites 13 schools and more than 3,000 players which are studying in accordance with the Red Machine National Development Program. Our teams are occupying the leading positions of Russian club competitions. The Red Machine Junior academy, which was created five years ago in Moscow on the basis of our experience with SKA, is one of Moscow’s leading ice hockey schools. Our philosophy is to ensure the harmonious development of individuals thanks to the correct balance between sport and education. These are excellent foundations for the creation of similar academies in African countries.

The third factor consists of technology and infrastructure. We possess strong expertise in the field of constructing effective, high-tech facilities, as well as having qualified specialists, modern sporting arenas and the required equipment. We’re prepared to offer assistance and expertise in the forming of projects and the construction of sporting facilities.

The fourth factor is the development of business relations. We have an understanding of the market and technology, and African counties possess huge production potential. We can engage in the joint production of different sporting products. Joint investments in this field and the creation of new production links will assist our countries in developing successfully. Today, we have the chance to implement these projects when speaking face-to-face. We have a broad outlook for development. Sport is a hugely powerful connecting tool, and the effective development of our partners’ economies on the basis of sporting connections is a goal which can realistically be achieved. Our work already possesses successful examples of cooperation with China and Uzbekistan. Thanks to our experience, we know how sport helps business relations to develop. And today our economic ties with these countries are some of our strongest. We want to achieve the same results with African nations.

Finally, in the 21st century, the potential for technological and educational projects is enormous. An important task is the joint development of the creative industry, phygital and the games of the future, which are involving more and more people around the world.

Our countries are becoming closer, and with our joint efforts we can achieve great success and victories, including in the field of ice hockey.