The entire hockey community was waiting for the IIHF Congress in St. Petersburg with great interest, because as part of this event, the international federation was to receive a new president.
The Swiss Rene Fasel, who has headed the organization since 1994, decided to leave his post.
Five people applied for the position: the Danish Henrik Bach-Nielsen, the German Franz Reindl, the Czech Piotr Brziza, the Frenchman Luc Tardiff and the Belarusian Sergei Goncharov.
To win, one of the candidates needed to get the majority (50% + 1) of the delegates' votes.
If this did not happen in the first round, the weaker one dropped out of the fight - and so on, until one of the candidates received more than half of the votes.
Reindl was considered the main favorite of the vote, Brjiza's chances were highly appreciated.
However, the results have refuted most of the forecasts.
First, all four rounds were required to determine the new IIHF president.
Secondly, already in the starting line, Břiza sensationally dropped out of the fight.
Probably, the desire of the delegates to make the head of the federation a representative of not the hockey country itself has affected, in order to be sure of his impartiality.
In the second round, Bach-Nielsen took off, gaining only 12 votes, and in the third - Goncharov, who received 20. But it was much more interesting that Reindl began to give way to Tardiff, on whom few had initially bet.
As a result, in the final round, the Frenchman left no chances to his opponent - 67:39.
Not much is known about the winner.
The functionary was born in Canada in 1953 and has dual citizenship.
In his youth, he actively played hockey and performed in Canada, Belgium and France, where he became the top scorer of the championship four times.
After completing his career, Tardiff took up the development of this sport in the country and soon became the head of the national federation.
With his arrival, a surge of tricolor results is associated.
Since 2008, they have invariably played in the elite division of the World Championship, and in 2014, at the World Championship in Minsk, they even made it to the playoffs.
The son of the new IIHF president, Luc Tardiff Jr., also devoted himself to hockey and twice became the champion of France.
As for his father, he previously held the position of treasurer in the international federation.
“I have always remained a hockey person, I have a lot of ideas, I have a lot of passion and willingness to work in a team.
Trust me, I will not fail your expectations.
I am ready to develop and protect our sport.
There is a phrase that I love very much: "When you are alone, you go faster, but in a team you will go much further."
Thanks to Rene Fasel for everything, for being confident in me, I am ready to accept this leadership role, "R-Sport quotes Tardif.
In turn, Franz Reindl congratulated the competitor on his victory and compared the voting procedure in St. Petersburg with a difficult hockey match.
“I would like to thank Rene and other colleagues who are leaving the IIHF board.
Let's not forget Vladislav Tretyak (who left there in March -
RT
), it was great to have such a person on the team.
Let's build the future together, ”the German urged.
Even Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Luke Tardiff on his election.
In a telegram published on the Kremlin's official website, he wished the functionary success, good health and prosperity.
“Victory in the elections is a convincing evidence of your high authority in the world sports community, a worthy assessment of many years of work on the IIHF Council.
For our part, we are ready for further fruitful cooperation with the International Ice Hockey Federation in all areas of its activities, ”Putin assured.
A similar point of view was expressed by the President of the FHR Vladislav Tretyak.
According to him, the national federation will establish "good working and human relations" with the new head of the IIHF, and the hockey family will remain friendly.
“Russia has always treated the work of the international federation with great respect.
Tardiff is an experienced hockey functionary who has worked in governing bodies for many years.
He is a professional and has established himself well as one of the important members of Fasel's management team.
I have no doubt that Luke will work successfully in his post, and world hockey under his leadership will achieve new achievements and achievements, "Tretyak said on Match TV.
In turn, the vice-president of the FHR Roman Rotenberg noted that he has long been familiar with the Frenchman and repeatedly communicated with him on financial issues, when he held the position of treasurer of the IIHF.
“We will continue to work for the benefit of the development of hockey.
Tardiff is Fasel's friend and colleague.
I think the IIHF will only reinforce the view that hockey should be separated from politics.
It is important.
I would like the IIHF to become the main authority, to be better than any federation and any club, ”Rotenberg said.
In general, Fasel's name was mentioned at the event several times.
Judging by the information of the Russian media, the Swiss is not going to retire at all.
So, "Match TV" reported that the long-term head of world hockey can get positions in the FHR and the KHL.
The details of cooperation have not yet been reported.
An equally important event for Russia was the election of Pavel Bure, a special representative of the FHR for international affairs, to the IIHF council.
The two-time Olympic medalist replaced Tretyak in him, who was forced to leave the federation in March due to the CAS verdict.
Earlier, the prospects of the Russian rocket were highly appreciated, including by Fazel.
“Bure is a hockey legend, fluent in English, everyone knows him very well.
We need such people on the council.
I dream that only former players and coaches are in it, but sometimes other specialists are needed.
Hopefully Bure will be elected.
Could he become IIHF President in the future?
Why not.
But it's not so easy when you represent a big hockey country, ”the former head of IIHF told reporters.
Among other important appointments, it is worth noting the victory of Břiza in the election of the first vice-president of the organization.
In the second round of voting, the Czech confidently overtook the Canadian Bob Nicholson, gaining almost 70% of the delegates' votes.
But the representative of Kyrgyzstan, Aivaz Omorkanov, was quite unexpectedly elected to the post of vice-president of the IIHF for Asia and Oceania.
“I am honored to be the Vice President of IIHF.
Unfortunately, in Asia, with the development of hockey, everything is not so good, I will try to work out my term one hundred percent.
When I quoted Martin Luther King King's “I Have a Dream” speech in my presentation, I was not speaking on my own behalf, but on behalf of all of Asia.
I urged people to look at what is going on there, to see that we need changes, ”the functionary emphasized.