Vladislav Tretiak attended a university match and discussed the development of student ice hockey

Spring isn't only the culmination of the ice hockey season at elite professional level. During April and May, the main student ice hockey matches are staged, with 40 teams from Moscow and Moscow Region annually competing against each other in the decisive games in spring time.

The Kristall rink at the Luzhniki complex played host to the deciding match between the Moscow State University and the Russian State Social University. Vladislav Tretiak, the President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) and a true legend of the sport, was the event's VIP guest and took part in the match's opening ceremony.

Furthermore, Tretiak spoke with student players and held a meeting with functionaries responsible for the development of student ice hockey in Moscow, outlining further prospects for the industry's progress and a set of measures necessary to take the step to the next level. Matters concerning cooperation between the RIHF and student ice hockey organisations were also discussed.

President of the RIHF Vladislav Tretiak:

- Vladimir Putin set the task of 70% of our population engaging in physical culture and sport. In the ice hockey industry, one of the best growth areas lies with students. When we look at our efforts aimed at popularising our sport, the greatest potential lies with the young audience. It's important to promote the love of ice hockey and healthy values among the next generation.

One of the key factors of development is infrastructure. Now students can play and train on rinks of such quality that the Soviet Union national team could only dream of during my playing career! But our regions require even more rinks, and Moscow is no exception. We paid special attention to this matter when engaging in discussions. There are interesting projects and ideas. Through the joint efforts of the RIHF, student ice hockey federations and universities, a huge step forward can be made in the construction of new infrastructure. Increasing the number of indoor venues will increase the accessibility of our sport for university students.

We're always happy to support various competitions and attract legendary players to attend matches and communicate with student ice hockey players. The RIHF recognises the importance of developing university sport and will expand its efforts in this area.