In the future, Russia will try to prevent young athletes from leaving the country.
Vladimir Putin wants to prevent young athletes from leaving Russia. EPA / AOP
The Russian Ministry of Sports and representatives of the Duma are jointly developing a law aimed at limiting the departure of young Russian ice hockey players abroad.
– Let’s see how we can defend the interests of Russian ice hockey, athletes, coaches and sports schools by limiting the departure of talented athletes, Russian Minister of Sports Oleg Matytsin confirmed.
The legal initiative originates from the President of Russia From Vladimir Putin. He demanded 19.10. at the held sports council to intervene in the activities of “hockey businessmen”. According to Putin, they attract young athletes to work abroad.
– It is important for us that the president said this. It helps us in the fight against unscrupulous agents. With their own actions, they are trying to get players to work in foreign clubs, the general director of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation Dmitry Kurbatov in turn said.
According to Russian sources, last summer more than a dozen young Russian hockey players went to the NHL, for example. Examples were given Ivan Miroshnichenkowho transferred to the Washington organization as well as Dmitry Voronkovwho now represents Columbus.
The story continues after the picture.
Dmitri Voronkov moved from Russia to North America. It pisses off Putin and his partners. AOP / USA TODAY Sports
“This is a problem”
SKA’s head coach by Roman Rotenberg In Russia’s opinion, it should also invest in not taking small children out of the country.
– We are now talking about very young children, 10-11 years old, whose parents are still deciding on things.
According to Rotenberg, agents offer families money in return for leaving their hometowns.
– This is a problem in our hockey. We have to fight that these parents, who decide on their children’s affairs, stay with the players, i.e. their children, in Russia. We are not talking about 16-17-year-olds now, but 10-11-year-olds, Rotenberg emphasized.
According to the man, the problem should be solved in such a way that conditions are created in Russia that promising players can also develop in their home country.
– We have to do everything we can to ensure that parents don’t make the wrong choices when agents traveling around the country with bags of money make offers to them.
Rotenberg claims that Russian promises abroad often end hockey.
– This has already happened several times. There are several examples of a player being taken to the United States, Canada or some other country where they then stop playing hockey. It cannot be accepted.
Sources: allhockey.ru, Vtomske.ru
In Roman Rotenberg’s opinion, children aged 10–11 should not be allowed to leave Russia. Emil Hansson / AOP