October 25 - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has revealed that Russia is going to bid to host the 2016 ice hockey World Championship.


"We are very close to issuing our bid to host the 2016 World Championship," Putin said.

"We already informed the world game's ruling body, the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation], about it.

"We expect that Moscow and St Petersburg will host the event.

"We are set to send the official bid to the IIHF before May next year."

Putin added that both cities already have all the necessary facilities to host the event.

"All the venues are ready," he said.

"And we are also ready to host the event at the highest possible level and give the IIHF all the necessary Government guarantees."

The bid comes after Russia, with Putin's support, successfully won the right to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and as it also bidding to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which it is favourites to be awarded when the decision is made in Zurich in December.

Russia previously hosted theWorld Championships on six occasions, most recently in 2007 in Moscow and Mytishchi.