A heavy burden as a gift

On the day of his 54th birthday, Vladislav Tretyak headed the FHR

Yesterday, at an extraordinary conference of the Russian Hockey Federation, State Duma deputy, head of the Duma Committee on Physical Education, Sports and Youth Affairs Vladislav Tretyak was elected president of the Russian Hockey Federation. No one doubted that it was Tretyak who would lead one of the country’s key sports federations. The elections were held on a non-alternative basis. And all the delegates who gathered on Luzhnetskaya Embankment in the building of the Russian Olympic Committee understood perfectly well that in this situation, the words “election” and “appointment” can be safely equated.

This was clearly confirmed by the participants themselves, who confused these words in their comments. This was confirmed by the newly appointed president himself, answering the question of whether he himself aspired to head the FHR or whether he made this decision under the influence of circumstances. Tretyak did not hide the fact that he had been thinking about this step for two years, but was not ready for it. Shortly before the current conference, Tretyak had an almost hour-long conversation with the country's President Vladimir Putin. “The head of state was interested in what is in hockey, what programs can be done, what to expect in the future, and in the end I received a proposal,” Vladislav Tretyak frankly admitted.

The question of who will become a member of Tretyak’s team was not raised at this conference. The head of the FHR referred to the fact that it was of an extraordinary nature, the appointments of vice-presidents and other leaders of the FHR would follow later, and only confirmed the fact that the chairman of the PHL board of trustees would be Pavel Krasheninnikov. “I understand perfectly well how difficult the tasks are before me and what responsibility this work imposes,” Tretyak said. According to him, on his birthday, becoming the new president of the FHR, he received not only a gift from his colleagues, but also a heavy burden. But most importantly, he received the credit of trust from athletes, coaches, and professional people who support domestic hockey.

The priority areas of the new presidential program will be the creation of a combat-ready national team, strong clubs, but at the same time everyone must work for the national team, since its success characterizes the success of all Russian hockey. The second is personnel, professional coaching staff for teams of all levels. Third is television, which should do everything to promote a healthy lifestyle and hockey for our boys. Civilized relations with the National Hockey League, since on the globe we cannot live separately from everyone. Naturally, a budget, without which you cannot move forward. Decent hockey players should live accordingly and receive dignity. And children's and youth sports. Without him we will have no future.

According to Tretyak, an expanded list of candidates for the Russian national team will be determined in August, and a team gathering will be held in the United States in the fall. Tretyak said that he rejects the division of hockey players into “us” and “strangers”; all talented players should be on the national team. Although there is no official agreement between the FHR and the NHL, Tretiak has already secured the agreement of Harry Bettman that all Russian hockey players playing in NHL clubs will not be prevented from playing for the Russian national team. As for the topic of the new head coach of the Russian national team, according to the head of the FHR, it is incorrect to raise this issue on the eve of the World Championship in Riga.

Of the main sports officials, only ROC President Leonid Tyagachev was present at the FHR conference. The head of Rossport, Vyacheslav Fetisov, was busy with the affairs of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Commenting on the election results, Tyagachev said that he had been waiting for this moment: “Vladislav Alexandrovich and I have known each other for a long time. We were born in the same area, and our children went to the same school. I believe that his arrival in the FHR will strengthen the federation and our team.” Tyagachev promised that this is not the last reshuffle in the leadership of sports federations and that new names can be expected to appear in the near future.

When asked how long Tretyak intends to lead the FHR, he replied: “I would like it longer.” And his predecessor Alexander Steblin, who will soon become honorary president of the FHR, admitted that he “is leaving this post with a light heart, since a real professional has taken the helm of the federation.”

Olga ERMOLINA