Vasily Kanashenok, formerly the press attaché for the Russian national hockey team, shared details about the car awards following the 2008 World Championship victory in an interview with "SE."
When asked who should be thanked for ensuring he was included in the car distribution list, Kanashenok explained the situation was complicated, involving behind-the-scenes maneuvering and internal disputes. An informed source within the presidential administration informed him that the national team's two coaches had removed him and another colleague from the list.
The awards in question were automobiles. Kanashenok confirmed that coaches Vyacheslav Bykov and Igor Zakharkin were involved in this decision. However, Vladislav Tretiak, then president of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, intervened. Tretiak contacted the officials handling the distribution within the administration, resulting in Kanashenok and the other individual being reinstated on the list.
The second person initially removed from the list was described as a member of the support staff, a category that includes administrators, masseurs, doctors, and press attachés.
Regarding the reason for their exclusion, Kanashenok admitted he wasn't entirely sure but speculated that Bykov and Zakharkin displayed what he perceived as "Napoleonic complex" tendencies. He stated that prior to this, he had not had significant conflicts with them, always fulfilling their assignments and even personal requests made informally.
Kanashenok suggested that his appointment to the national team, perhaps seen as an appointee of Tretiak, may have been a factor. He felt Bykov and Zakharkin might have suspected him of reporting back to Tretiak. He described them as generally distrustful, noting that other team members were also associated with Tretiak and were on contract with the Russian Ice Hockey Federation.
Following Russia's victory at the 2008 World Championship, players, coaches, and several team employees received Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Vyacheslav Bykov served as the head coach, with Igor Zakharkin on his staff. Vladislav Tretiak was the president of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation.
