KHL elected Dmitri Chernyshenko President

The KHL elected the new Executive Board during a Board of Directors meeting in Sochi to discuss several strategic issues. Dmitri Chernyshenko, former chief of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, as the League’s new President. Another member of Sochi Olympics task-force, Alexei Krasnov, entered in the Board. Chernyshenko replaces long-time President Alexander Medvedev, who will join the board of the IIHF as an additional member per special request of President Rene Fasel. Medvedev will be also awarded with the state award - the Order of Honor - for merits in development of Russian hockey.

Sochi native Chernyshenko, 48, graduated in engineering at Moscow State Technological University "STANKIN", was CEO and Vice-President of Media Arts Group, before to become President of Sochi Winter Olympics Organizing Committee in 2007. After the Games he led investment company Volga Group,a company that manages assets of businessman Gennady Timchenko, President of SKA St. Petersburg. Also Mr Chernyshenko received the Order of Honor for his commitment in Sochi Winter Games organization, along with Sports Stars of Russia, the Services to the Fatherland and the Golden Olympic awards.

Russian President Vladimir Putin  thanks Medvedev for "his efforts to revive ice hockey.” and congratulates Chernyshenko “I would like to ask you to use your experience and knowledge you gained while preparing the Olympic Games in Sochi in this niche - hockey development - not only in our country but also internationally, meaning that the Kontinental Hockey League is gaining international character,” Putin said at Itar-TASS Agency. Mr Putin also invited Alexander Medvedev and Dmitry Chernyshenko to play hockey with him.

Alexander Medvedev remembered the successes of KHL since its creation in 2008, always under his presidency: "Since the establishment of the Kontinental Hockey League, Russia won four times World Championship and once the silver medal. Thanks for the appreciation for my work, but KHL is still a child under your responsability, because without your support Kontinental Hockey League would never have existed. In these years League was attended by hundreds of our fans, which are an essential element .Without the fans, hockey does not make sense."

Dynamo Moscow GM Andrei Safronov, who is also also Russia national team GM, commented the election with an eye to the relations between KHL and Federation: "I am confident that with the new president of the KHL we will build a closer and constructive relationship that unite all our common efforts for the successful performance of team Russia at the World Championships and the Olympics.I think the attitude of FHR and CHL is now no longer be marked like a cat with a dog. Dmitri (Chernyshenko) is a very good manager, a manager who convincingly proved his level, heading the organizing committee of the Sochi Olympics. He will do the right thing, and he will succeed.We are ready to fully assist him in all good endeavors" said Safronov.

The new Board of KHL:

- Dmitry Chernyshenko - Chairman of the Board - KHL President 

- Alexei Krasnov - former Senior Vice President of Sochi-2014 Organizing Committee 

- Dmitry Kurbatov - KHL Hockey Operations Vice-President 

- Alexander Kiknadze - Head of KHL Legal Department 

- Vasily Kursin - Assistant to the Chairman of the KHL Board of Directors 

- Victor Beskibalov - KHL Financial Director 

- Leonid Vaisfeld - KHL Clubs Interaction Representative 

- Maksim Subbotkin - KHL Clubs Interaction Representative 

- Kirill Fastovsky - KHL Clubs Interaction Representative 

- Shamil Khusnutdinov - KHL Clubs Interaction Representative 

- Sergei Fedorov - KHL Clubs Interaction Representative 

- Roman Rotenberg - KHL Clubs Interaction Representative 

- Gennady Velichkin - KHL Clubs Interaction Representative 

- Zigmars Priede - KHL Clubs Interaction Representative 

- German Skoropupov - Managing Director VHL 

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