ST.PETERSBURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2021) The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) elected French hockey official Luc Tardif as its new president on Saturday.
The hockey federation held the vote in Russia's St. Petersburg after previous President Rene Fasel had retired. To win office, a candidate needs to get over 50% of the delegates' vote. According to the IIHF, Tardif, who has been heading the French Ice Hockey Federation, won the fourth round with 67 votes (63.21%) against Germany's Franz Reindl, who received 39 votes (36.79%).
"Luc Tardif has been elected as new IIHF President succeeding René Fasel, who held the position for 27 years and didn't stand for re-election. He won the presidential election in the fourth and last round against Franz Reindl," the IIHF said in a statement.
The new IIHF president has already received congratulations from Russian President Vladimir Putin via a phone call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. In addition, Putin sent Tardif an official message, in which he reaffirmed Russia's readiness to cooperate with the IIHF in all of its activities.
Putin also had a phone conversation with Fasel, who had been at the helm of the IIHF since 1994, and thanked him for his cooperation and contribution to the sport.
