Russia to create new Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey club

MOSCOW, September 9 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian Ice Hockey Federation
and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) decided to create a new Lokomotiv
Yaroslavl ice hockey club and KHL President Alexander Medvedev said 35
players from various clubs agreed to play for Lokomotiv.
"A unanimous decision was adopted to preserve the club and a concrete
complex of measures will be announced after the morning ceremonies," the
Ice Hockey Federation said on Thursday.
The team of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl was killed in an air crash on
Wednesday while heading for the first game in the season to Minsk. The
start of the KHL season was postponed because of the tragedy until
September 12.
KHL President Medvedev said "over 35 people agreed to go and play for
Yaroslavl if the new coach recruits them." He added wages to the players
may be paid in the first year by the delegating clubs. "So far it is an
unofficial decision which was advanced by many people and supported by
all," he told the Vesti 24 TV channel.
"If the fans of the club support the revival of the team, the regional
leadership, the main sponsor and owner of the club, the Russian Railways
Company, will also support it no matter how hard it is," Medvedev said.
Earlier he said all the 18 KHL clubs supported the idea to delegate
several players and form a new Lokomotiv.
"The new coach will thus have a list of 40-45 players and will be able
to choose a good team. Besides, five men from the junior team will play in
Lokomotiv. The Yaroslavl club will be reanimated," Medvedev said.
In the meantime 35 bodies out of 43 killed in the crash had been
identified so far. Only player Alexander Galimov and steward Alexander
Sizov survived the crash which occurred during take-off. Both flight
recorders of the crashed Yak-42 plane were found and handed over to the
International Aviation Committee for investigation.