Putin misses ice hockey tournament for the first time and rumors about his health – Observer

It is an annual tradition. The Russian president usually participates in the ice hockey tournament, which usually takes place in May. In 2021, for example, the team that Vladimir Putin was part of (he always wore the number 11) achieved Match win 13-9. A year later, the head of the Russian state did not attend the competition – this decision fueled rumors about his state of health.

The Night Ice Hockey League, which was held in Sochi, was an initiative created by Vladimir Putin himself in 2011. It was the first time the president did not attend the tournament and the second he did not play – in 2013, he also was not part of any team for Health problems.

Although he did not attend this year’s edition, The Russian president does not want stop paying Greetings for this event!having recorded a video for this purpose, in which he left a short welcome message: “I wish you good luck in your fights on the ice and that everything is going well. The best player wins.”

“The tournament is unique in that it brings together hockey fans from different generations – veterans of the sport and newcomers who They decide to create their own team to achieve success “And test the strength of your character,” said Vladimir Putin.

The unusual absence of the Russian leader, who has rarely been seen in public since the invasion of Ukraine, He joins the video that was broadcast in this tournament. According to the New York Post, the Russian head of state She had black spots on her facewhich seems to have been covered up with makeup.

Vladimir Putin has always been proud of his physical shape, despite his almost 70 years of age. According to TASS, was considered “The fastest boss in the world,” he practices various sports such as judo, hockey and motor racing. At the end of 2021, in a match The hockey player who played against the Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, the Russian head of state, scored seven goals.

Kremlin spokesman Dmytro Peskov has already done so announcelast week, that Vladimir Putin would not participate in the ice hockey tournament, without giving any justification for the absence of the Russian president.