The pucks, which are made according to International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) standards, were revealed by three-time Olympic champion and Russian Ice Hockey Federation President Vladislav Tretiak and Sochi 2014 President and chief executive Dmitry Chernyshenko at a special ceremony during the Channel One Cup in the Games host city.

"Today we can reveal the official Sochi 2014 puck," Chernyshenko said.

"I am sure that each of the pucks used on Sochi's Olympic ice, will give all the fans unforgettable moments and the hockey tournaments, which will be held at the Bolshoy Ice Dome and Shayba Arena, will be a real spectacle of the Winter Olympics in Sochi."

The Olympic ice hockey pucks feature the Sochi 2014 patchwork quilt branding and logo in colour, while the other side displays a black and white design of the Olympic Rings and a patchwork quilt surrounded by the inscription XXII Olympic Winter Games, Sochi 2014 in English.

The patchwork quilt on the front side will indicate where the match is being played, as pucks for games at the Bolshoy Ice Dome - including the final two matches of the men's and women's tournaments - feature a range of purple tones, while those to be used at the Shayba Arena use blue colourings.

One side of the official Sochi 2014 ice hockey pucks features a coloured design, while the reverse is black and white ©Sochi 2014


The Paralympic pucks for the ice sledge hockey competition will feature the same design as those used at the Olympics, except the logo featured on the patchwork quilt side will be that of the Sochi 2014 Paralympics.

Sochi 2014 said it took more than 20 sketches and 30 enhancements to make the perfect puck.

"The puck is one of the most important attributes and symbols of hockey," Tretiak said.

"Fans of our sport often collect them, because, having been used in a major competition, everyone wants to retain a piece of the sports celebration and miracle.

"We want the puck that we are presenting you now to become a symbol of the victory of our team, and that at the stands we hear more and more the traditional Russian hockey cheer 'Shaybu-shaybu'."

As many as 80 pucks are needed for one game, and their preparation involves freezing them for a few hours before the match to reduce friction and prevent rebound from the ice surface.

By tradition, all pucks used in the Olympic bronze and gold matches will be sent to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

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