Vladislav Tretiak held a working meeting with the Sochi Mayor

Vladislav Tretiak, the President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF), held a working meeting with Sochi Mayor Andrei Proshunin.

The parties discussed the development of ice hockey in Sochi and the prospects concerning cooperation between the RIHF and the city's local authorities with regard to coaching local young players.

RIHF President Vladislav Tretiak:

"At one time, Anatoly Tarasov held serious pre-season camps in Sochi. Of course, I couldn't have imagined that our sport would develop on the shores of the Black Sea! However, nowadays there aren't any regions which don't engage in ice hockey. In the NHL, five of the last Stanley Cups were won by representatives of the USA's hottest and southernmost cities. Here in Russia, Sochi have been playing in the KHL for over 10 years already, with the city itself hosting several international tournaments with the participation of Russian national teams.

"Sochi's average attendance exceeds 5,000, which speaks volumes about how the level of interest in ice hockey is increasing in the city. The potential for growth and development is really high, something which I discussed today with Sochi Mayor Andrei Proshunin. This involves academies, mass sport and creating the required conditions and facilities for training and leading a healthy lifestyle. The support of the local authorities is vital, and the same can be said for the issue of constructing new ice hockey infrastructure. We can see lots of excellent examples of how the authorities' support encourages local investors to construct and fund new rinks.

"I'm happy that the Mayor of Sochi cares about ice hockey and is showing interesting in helping move our sport forward. We can't forget the instruction from the Russian President with regard to involving 70% of all Russian citizens in physical education and sport! Ice hockey possesses special value when it comes to promoting sport and instilling good personal qualities and values in the next generation. Skills such as being a team player, respecting your teammates and coach and giving your all to achieve a common goal are built through ice hockey, and can be applied to any aspect of life. By developing ice hockey, we're investing in future generations.

"The RIHF always promotes initiatives aimed at progression. Our cooperation wth the authorities of Russian regions will help us improve the level of education concerning coaches and referees, while also increasing the efficiency of working with our young players. I'm convinced that ice hockey will continue to develop greatly in Sochi, with our cooperation deepening."