OREANDA-NEWS. The head of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Rene Fasel confirmed that the Russian national team will participate at the World Championship in Latvia under the IIHF anthem, instead of the Russian flag, also the logo of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) will be used.

This decision was made at a meeting of the IIHF Council on Wednesday. Earlier, a source told RIA Novosti that the IIHF anthem will be played for the Russian national team at the World Championships in Latvia, hockey players instead of the Russian flag will use the ROC logo.

Fasel told reporters: "We have decided that the uniform will have the ROC logo. The same thing was decided with the flag - the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee will be used for the same purpose. If the Russian team wins, the IIHF anthem will play at the stadium". He pointed out, this is not even an anthem, but rather a kind of a jingle.

 "I consider the Russian anthem one of the best in the world, and it will be very strange to hear a different melody after the victories of Russian hockey players," he added.

The Men's Ice Hockey World Championship will take place in Riga from May 21 to June 6. Similar rules will apply to the Russian national team at the Women's World Ice Hockey Championship, which will be held May 6-16 in Canada.