IIHF Code RUS Association history Russia1992–present IIHF men's ranking 2 | IIHF membership January 19, 1992 | |
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Association name Ice Hockey Federation of Russia | ||
The Ice Hockey Federation of Russia (Russian: Федерация хоккея России) is the governing body overseeing ice hockey in Russia.
Contents
History
The federation was founded on November 12, 1991 as "Ice Hockey Federation of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic / Ice Hockey Federation of Russia" (Russian: Федерация Xoккея Российской Советской Федеративной Социалистической Республики / Russian: Федерация хоккея России) established during the existence of the Soviet Union and the Russian SFSR. On January 19, 1992, after the Soviet Union was dissolved and Russia took over the international rights and obligations of the USSR, the federation became the official successor of the Soviet Union Ice Hockey Federation and its successes and its full membership in the International Ice Hockey Federation.
Men
Women
Active
Defunct
Championships
Ice hockey in Russia
Ice hockey was first introduced to the Soviet Union in 1932. The Soviet Union entered its first Winter Olympics tournament in 1956. The Soviet Union would dominate the hockey world championships and Olympic tournaments from the 1950s to 1980s.
During the Soviet Union period the Soviet Championship League was the preimer ice hockey league after the fall of communism it was followed by the Russian Superleague and then Kontinental Hockey League.
Anatoli Tarasov is considered the father of Soviet ice hockey.
During the height of the Cold war in the 1980s many Russian hockey players defected to United States to play in the NHL with such notable players as Viacheslav Fetisov, Alexander Mogilny and Sergei Federov.
On the international stage Russia considers Canada its major hockey rival.
Ice hockey in Russia is one of the most popular sports in the country.