Former goalkeeper of the Slovak national team, Julius Hudacek, said that he was the victim of a campaign of hate and manipulation due to his performance in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He wrote this on his Instagram account (its owner is the Meta company, it is known as extremist and is banned in Russia).
“This is a deliberate manipulation. Yes, I have commented in several interviews about my life in Russia, which I led as an athlete. It was a normal and high-quality life. “Unfortunately, people took out their frustrations on me and ruined the lives and careers of ordinary athletes under the banner of guardians of false morality,” said Slovak. “I was the victim of a hate campaign they destroyed,” he wrote.
On January 5, Czech club Kladno terminated the contract with Hudacek, two days after signing, due to pressure from the team’s fans, who demanded the termination of the contract with the goalkeeper due to his performances in the KHL.
Hudacek played 42 matches for Kazakh Barys in the KHL regular season in the 2022/23 season. The Astana club finished 11th in the Eastern Conference standings and failed to qualify for the play-offs. The 35-year-old goalkeeper also played for Spartak Moscow, Siberia Novosibirsk, Severstal Cherepovets and Dinamo Riga in the Kontinental Hockey League.
In the spring of 2022, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decided to ban Russian players from participating in international tournaments, even with neutral status, and the organization also stripped Russia of the right to host the youth world championship at home in 2023. .
In March 2023, the IIHF extended the suspension for the 2023/24 season. At the same time, the president of the organization, Luc Tardif, announced that the IIHF council will return to the issue of accepting the national teams of Russia and Belarus in March 2024.
Previously “Match TV” reportedSlovakia wants to play Russia before the World Hockey Championship.