MOSCOW, Aug 10 The enthusiasm and achievements of the former captain of the Kazan hockey club «Ak Bars» Danis Zaripov will inspire more than one generation of Russian athletes, said the Minister of Sports of Russia Oleg Matytsin.
The farewell match of Zaripov, who ended his career as a hockey player, took place in Kazan on Wednesday.
“I express my deep gratitude to Danis Zaripov for his invaluable contribution to the development of national hockey and dedication to sports. Danis Zinnurovich devoted almost a quarter of a century of his life to hockey, delighting his fans and the whole country with beautiful matches and bright victories. Three-time world champion, the only five-time winner The Gagarin Cup is an example for thousands of young hockey players. Danis also makes a significant contribution to the development of sports entrepreneurship by organizing the production of domestic hockey sticks,» Matytsin was quoted as saying in the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation.
«I am sure that Danis Zinnurovich will continue to actively participate in popularizing hockey and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle, his enthusiasm and achievements will inspire more than one generation of Russian athletes,» the minister stressed.
Zaripov is 42 years old, he has represented Ak Bars since 2017, before that he played for the club from 2001 to 2013 and won the Gagarin Cup three times with the team. Twice more he won the trophy with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. As part of the Russian national team, Zaripov became a three-time world champion. He also holds the record for matches in the championships of Russia — 1324 games.