Ice Preparation Delay for Kuznetskie Medvedi: Arena Conditions Force Team to Seek Alternatives

The «Kuznetskie Medvedi» have announced the commencement of their ice training for the season starting July 7. An open training session for the media was scheduled to take place at the Korolenko Arena, the main venue in Novokuznetsk. However, the arena was found to be unprepared for training.

The smaller rink in the Central District also proved unsuitable for practice, as the ice quality was inadequate and the facility has long required renovation. Meanwhile, the privately owned «Kuznetsky Ice» arena is fully booked for the training of the youth sports school and local enthusiasts.

«It is currently impossible to train at the small arena in the Central District. The conditions there do not meet the standards required for the preparation of professional hockey players nor comply with league regulations and other norms. I believe that a city like Novokuznetsk does not deserve such poor training conditions offered at the Metallurg hockey school. The Kuznetskie Medvedi will not train in these circumstances.

The plan to renovate the small arena has been promised for several years now. I have personally raised the need for this renovation in the presence of the former head of Novokuznetsk and the Kemerovo Oblast governor on two occasions, and the governor has twice instructed the head to initiate work in this area. Subsequently, there was even a collective decision on appointing a company leader for the renovation of the small arena. Why the renovation has not yet started and why no actions have been taken is beyond my knowledge—this question is not for me,» quoted Andrei Denyakin, the general director of Metallurg, as reported by Sport42.

The club has reportedly submitted requests to the Rospotrebnadzor and the prosecutor’s office to inspect the small ice arena in the Central District for compliance with safety standards and usability. The Kuznetskie Medvedi are considering the option of starting their training camp in another city.