The RIHF signed an agreement with the Women's Night Hockey League

On 8 September, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) and the Women's Night Hockey League (WNHL) in Moscow.

The document was signed by RIHF General Director Dmitry Kurbatov and WNHL General Director Oksana Yegorova.

The key areas of cooperation between the RIHF and the WNHL include:

• preparing methodological materials and conducting training and consulting sessions, including a mentorship program for young female hockey players;

• jointly organising tournaments, master classes and open training sessions;

• promoting hockey among children, teenagers, girls and women, as well as students in general education and fostering greater interest in hockey among families with children.

The Women's Night Hockey League was founded in 2015. Today, the WNHL is one of the largest amateur women's hockey projects in Russia.

The partnership between the RIHF and the WNHL marks another important step in the development of women's hockey, helping to increase participation and create conditions for coaching young female players. Implementing this agreement will expand opportunities for young players to learn and hone their skills, while also creating additional avenues to encourage girls and women to take up the sport.

RIHF General Director Dmitry Kurbatov:

"Developing women's sport is a top priority. However, it is a challenging process: far fewer girls join sporting programs than boys, making it quite difficult to form teams at younger age groups. We also have fewer teams in the professional championship than we would like. Nevertheless, any progress in this direction is significant.

"For several years now, our national team has been unable to compete on the international stage. Yet, prior to their suspension, Russian female hockey players regularly competed against the world's top teams and contended for top rankings. Our goal is to maintain a high standard of coaching and ensure the continued development of women's hockey."

WNHL General Director Oksana Egorova:

"This year marks the league's 11th anniversary, and we are delighted that our efforts to develop women's hockey have received the support of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. Signing this agreement will provide fresh momentum for the growth of women's hockey, both in general and specifically within our amateur league."