CSKA President Speaks Out Against Ivan Fedotov Ban, IIHF Sanctions

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced Saturday that Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov, CSKA Moskva, and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) would all be getting sanctioned as punishment for their roles in not honoring Fedotov’s valid contract with the Flyers. The IIHF’s decision is not going over well in Russia, and CSKA president Igor Esmantovich aired out his grievances on Monday.

“Of course, it is unpleasant for me that [Fedotov] was disqualified. And Ivan is unpleasant,” Esmantovich told MatchTV, loosely translated from Russian. “Well, what did we expect from people who are trying to influence our hockey? It makes no sense to discuss this. Our business is right, we will defend our Russian point of view.”

The punishments Fedotov will receive are arguably the most inconsequential compared to what CSKA and the RIHF will have to deal with. Fedotov was banned by the IIHF from competing in international competitions for three years; the Federation also specified that this includes the 2026 Olympic Games. Furthermore, Fedotov will be banned from club hockey for six months if, for some reason, he leaves the Flyers for another team under the IIHF’s guise.

CSKA was barred from making any international transfers for two years, starting on Aug. 11, 2024, and ending on Aug. 10, 2026. The RIHF’s pockets will be getting a little lighter, as they were fined 1 million Swiss francs by the IIHF for their transgressions.

Esmantovich and CSKA plan to challenge the IIHF’s decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Whether Fedotov will appeal his bans is currently unclear.

The 27-year-old signed a two-year, $6.55 million contract extension with the Flyers back on April 23, so neither Fedotov nor the Flyers have to worry about any kind of club hockey bans for the time being. Fedotov, alongside incumbent starter Sam Ersson, will make up the Flyers’ goaltending platoon for the 2024-25 season.