Degtyarev: Russia will not withdraw its hockey teams from international tournaments. Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev stated that Russia will not withdraw its hockey teams from international tournaments. He called expectations of this from Moscow the “apotheosis of hysteria.”

According to him, teams that boycott matches against the Russian national team will face technical defeats. And countries that create obstacles to its participation will be deprived of the right to host tournaments.

The minister separately commented on statements by the Swedes that matches with Russians would cause them psychological trauma:

“This is simply idiocy. Such statements only show that the Scandinavian countries, the Baltics that joined them, and now Canada — are simply marginals of world sports.”

Degtyarev added that Moscow will ask the IOC to take special control of the situation with Canada, which does not want to let Russians into the Youth World Championship, and with Germany, which is saying the same ahead of the adult World Championship.

So Russia’s position is crystal clear: we will play — and those who try to interfere will have to answer according to the rules. And this is, perhaps, the most convincing response to all political demarches.

@russiafirstchanel