IIHF claims that Fedotov's new contract with CSKA Moscow cannot be registered, while the agreement with the Philadelphia Flyers remains valid. The goalkeeper was given two weeks to arrive at the location of the “pilots” or to terminate the contract with CSKA. Fedotov did not fulfill the conditions, because the IIHF imposed sanctions on both the hockey player and the Moscow club.
Disqualification — four months. Effective September 1 this year. Fedotov was banned from playing in international matches for the national team and the club. In addition, CSKA was banned from international transfers for one season — from August 11, 2023 to August 10, 2024.
CSKA has the right to challenge the verdict within seven days.
“The Russian Ice Hockey Federation (FHR) submitted the documents received from the IIHF to CSKA for study. The club was given a seven-day period to develop a procedure for further actions. IIHF Disciplinary Committee,» the FHR said.
We note an important detail: the ban on Fedotov's participation in competitions applies to tournaments held under the auspices of the IIHF. That is, the goalkeeper's game in the KHL and for the Russian national team is excluded within the prescribed period. But, according to a source familiar with the situation, the verdict of the International Ice Hockey Federation does not apply to the NHL. The National Hockey League is not legally bound by the IIHF, and therefore Fedotov has the opportunity to join the Flyers.
What happened? Let's take a look at her full chronology.
- in the spring of 2022, Fedotov, together with CSKA, won the Gagarin Cup, became the best goalkeeper of the season, and then signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers; to prepare for his debut season in the National Hockey League (NHL) and was detained by the military enlistment office for military service evasion in Russia;
- the hockey player later planned to appeal this decision in court, but subsequently abandoned his claim and went to the north of the country to the training unit of the Russian Navy;
- a year later, Fedotov completed his service and, as a result, signed a two-year contract with CSKA, which was registered by the KHL;
- The NHL and the Flyers undertook an attempt to challenge this deal, since Fedotov’s previously signed contract with the “pilots” was frozen for the 2022/23 season and automatically extended for the 2023/24 season, and indicated a violation of the memorandum of understanding between the two leagues;
- Even before the official release of the IIHF, CSKA President Igor Esmantovich ruled out the possibility of Fedotov moving to Philadelphia and said that all legal details were observed when concluding an agreement with the Russian goalkeeper.
What's next? Fedotov claimed to have completely disengaged himself from the situation and discussions of his case. Now the Russian will have to stay without hockey for four months. More precisely, he will train, but he will not participate in competitions. At least in Russia and other tournaments under the auspices of the IIHF. CSKA will spend most of the season without their new-old goalkeeper. Alexander Sharychenkov and Vsevolod Skotnikov remain in the army team. Also, Sergei Fedorov can count on 20-year-old Dmitry Gamzin. But this off-season, due to the conditions of the new limit on foreign players in the KHL, CSKA was forced to part with the Swede Adam Reideborn, who led the Red-Blues to the Gagarin Cup-2023.
As for Philadelphia, then while the intentions of the «pilots» in relation to the Russian goalkeeper remain unknown. There are currently four goaltenders on the Flyers roster. This summer, the Pennsylvania club traded Cal Peterson and re-signed a contract with Samuel Ersson, also at the disposal of the club there are Carter Hart and Felix Sandström, whom the Philadelphia were ready to exchange. Most likely, in view of the IIHF verdict, the Flyers will seek the transfer of the Russian. In addition, earlier in the NHL insisted that Fedotov's contract retained its legal force, despite the formal expiration of its validity.