Putin Calls for Action to Stop Hockey Player-Drain to North America

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that it is important to create such economic conditions, under which no one would profit from taking away Russia players, and the players would benefit from staying in Russia.

KAZAN (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that it was important for Russia to keep promising young ice hockey players at home, and proper economic conditions should be created for this purpose.

Earlier in the day, Putin arrived in Russia's city of Kazan to hold a meeting of the Presidential Council for Physical Culture and Sport. The agenda included the development of Russian ice hockey, hosting the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship by Moscow in 2016 and the national team’s training for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea.

"It is important, of course, to keep the young promising players [in Russia]. We have to think about how to do this. First of all, of course, there is no room for shouts and orders, we should create such economic conditions, under which no one would profit from taking away our players, and they [the players] would benefit from staying with us," Putin said at the Council meeting.

The Russian leader urged to pay special attention to the upcoming IIHF World Championship, which is due to be held in Moscow and St Petersburg between May 6 and 22.