Roman Rotenberg held a meeting with the Governor of Perm Krai

Roman Rotenberg, the First Vice President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) and the head coach of Russia 25, held a meeting with Dmitry Makhonin, the Governor of Perm Krai.

The event took place in connection with the grand opening of Perm's Red Machine Arena.

Ice hockey has long been popular in Perm. As a consequence, the construction of new modern facilities in the region is vitally important, with infrastructure helping preserve traditions while encouraging children and families of all abilities to engage in the sport. The opening of the Red Machine Arena is a significant event for Perm Krai: such facilities make sport more accessible and provides additional impetus for playing ice hockey.

Particular attention was paid to the social aspect of the project, with the arena containing facilities for those with limited mobility, including sledge hockey and hockey for the visually impaired. A curling rink will also be constructed.

The development of backyard ice hockey was also discussed during the meeting. Perm has its own Coach in the Yard program, with the parties discussing options for its strengthening as well as the possibility of merging it with the Red Machine Yard program in order to further engage children and families.

Rotenberg, along with Makhonin, subsequently participated in the official opening ceremony of the venue. Furthermore, he also took to the ice and conducted a master class for Molot Perm's junior side and players of the Molot Academy. The training session focused on developing the players' individual qualities and enhancing their professional skills: the main emphasis was put on exercises aimed at increasing their maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), endurance, breathing, coordination and strength, components which enable them to maintain a high tempo throughout games and be prepared for the toughest of shifts.



Following the completion of the master class, Rotenberg participated in a gala match with Perm and Russian ice hockey legends including Alexander Yakushev, Valeri Kamensky, Alexander Gulyavtsev, Andrei Kovalenko and others.

Roman Rotenberg, First Vice President of the RIHF:

"Perm is a city which possesses rich ice hockey traditions and a true love for the game. Therefore, I would like to congratulate everyone with the opening of the Red Machine Arena! This really is an important event for the region.

"I would also like to thank Perm Krai Governor Dmitry Makhonin for the invitation and for the attention he pays to the development of sport and ice hockey in the region. It's crucial that modern facilities are being built here which are suitable for everyone including children, professional athletes and those who play sledge hockey. Our sport should be accessible to all!

"Moreover, I would also like to point out that the arena's equipment was made here in Perm! This serves as an ideal example of how a region can develop its own technology and drive the industry forward. Together, I'm confident that our joint efforts will give new impetus to the development of ice hockey in Perm and consequently make it even more widespread and accessible."