World Championship hockey will hardly be played in St. Petersburg in the spring of 2023.
Boris Mikhailov is sure that a decision has already been made to deprive Russia of the 2023 World Cup. AOP
Russia and its involuntary lawmakers Belarus has been closed to all international hockey for at least two years. The reason is the Russian despot Vladimir Putin A war of aggression against Ukraine by the dictator of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko supports.
At its meeting on February 28, the International Hockey Federation IIHF deprived Russia of the World Championships for under-20s at the turn of next year, which were to be played in Novosibirsk and Omsk.
The IIHF had not yet made a decision at the time of the 2023 World Cup in spring, which is scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg’s new giant hall.
Already almost 100 percent certain, the IIHF will also deprive the World Championships of men from Russia. The IIHF will report back in April.
The IIHF’s ethics committee has also launched an investigation against the Russian Hockey Federation, which called on KHL clubs to support Putin’s brutal war.
“Resolved issue”
Became a legend as a player Boris Mikhailov is certain that the World Cup will not be played in Russia in the spring of this year.
– The 2023 World Cup will be taken away from us, that issue has been resolved a long time ago, Mikhailov said in an interview with Championat.com.
Mikhailov won Olympic gold in 1972, 1976 and Olympic silver in 1980 in a Soviet shirt. Mikhailov celebrated the World Championship gold eight times and the Soviet championship 11 times.
Mikhailov, 77, is one of the ex-hockey players following the Kremlin.
It is also clear from his comments on the IIHF Ethics Committee’s study of Russia.
– There are crazy people everywhere. It is clear that this is a political decision. These are crazy, they live in this day, but do not think about the future, Mikhailov said.
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Alexander Kozhevnikov has been known for years for his criticism of the West. AOP
Putin’s mouthpiece
A 63-year-old who became known for completely insane claims and lies Alexander Kozhevnikov again, don’t spare your words.
Kozhevnikov, who won Olympic gold in 1984 and 1988 and celebrated World Cup gold in 1982, barks at new IIHF chairman Luc Tardifin crazy.
– The IIHF is looking for new ways to punish Russian hockey in some way. Tardif has already gone crazy. When he played hockey, he apparently got a puck on his forehead. He has an incurable concussion.
Regarding the World Cup in Russia, Kozhevnikov is on Mikhailov’s lines.
– Everything goes to the fact that the 2023 World Cup will be taken from us, Kozhevnikov told Championat.com.
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Vyacheslav Bykov (left) celebrated the St. Petersburg SKA championship with the chairman of the club, Gennady Timtshenko, who is currently on the US and EU sanctions list. AOP
Bykov angry
Former head coach of the Russian national team Vyacheslav Bykov does not approve of the IIHF’s actions.
– IIHF and Tardif want to humiliate Russia with hockey. Politics now dictates the conditions for everything. There is not a single thing in the world where politics is not involved, Bykov, who was caught stealing shop steals in Sweden during his player career, told Championat.com.
Bykov won two Olympic golds and five World Cup golds in a Soviet-Russian shirt.
– We can agree with our Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovin with the fact that everyone wants to bark harder, bite harder. Now they are trying to punish innocent athletes. We need to fight, protest, open the eyes of the world community, 61-year-old Bykov said.
Mikhailov, Kozhevnikov and Bykov did not say a word about Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The war started by Putin is the cause of all the sanctions and also of the actions of the IIHF.