Putin misses ice hockey tournament for the first time as health rumors mount – Observer

It is an annual tradition. The Russian president usually participates in an ice hockey tournament, which usually takes place in May. In 2021, for example, the team that Vladimir Putin was part of (still wearing number 11) I arrive win the match 13-9. A year later, the Russian head of state did not attend the competition, and this decision added to the rumors about his health.

The Night Ice Hockey League, which takes place in Sochi, is an initiative created by Vladimir Putin himself in 2011. It was the first time that the president was not present at the tournament and the second time that he did not play — in 2013, he did not has not played or been part of a team since health problems.

Although he was not present at this year’s edition, the The Russian president did not want stop paying tribute to the event, having recorded a video to that effect, in which he left a brief welcome message: “I wish you the best of luck in your battles on the ice and may everything turn out for the best. The best player wins.”

“The tournament is unique because it brings together hockey fans from different generations – veterans of the sport and newcomers who decided to create his own team to succeed and test your strength of character,” said Vladimir Putin.

The unusual absence of the Russian leader, who has rarely been seen in public since the invasion of Ukraine, here is the video that was broadcast on this tournament. According to the New York Post, the Russian head of state he had black spots on his facewhat seems to have been covered with makeup

Vladimir Putin has always been proud of his physical form, despite being almost 70 years old. According to TASS, It was considered the “fastest president in the world”, practicing various sports such as judo, hockey and car racing. At the end of 2021, in a broken Hockey player who played against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the Russian head of state scored seven goals.

Kremlin spokesman Dmytro Peskov had already announcementlast week that Vladimir Putin would not participate in the ice hockey tournament, without justifying the absence of the Russian president.