René Fasel

Later career In March 2022, Fasel denied a report that he signed a contract to be an advisor to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He instead stated that he has given advice to the league when he has been asked. When the IIHF suspended the Russian and Belarusian hockey federations until further notice due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Fasel was quoted in Russian media as saying it was a "sad moment in IIHF history", and that "Even in such a tense situation as today, sport must carry the message of peace and united people". The Associated Press reported that Fasel had been publicly friendly with Vladimir Putin, and that the Russian Hockey Federation instructed the KHL to distribute material supporting the invasion. The IIHF subsequently called for an independent ethics investigation into the actions of Fasel and the Russian Hockey Federation, and stated that former IIHF presidents were bound to a moral code of conduct. In 1997, the IOC commissioned him to conduct a study of dental treatment of Olympic athletes. On 26 July 2012 Fasel was part of the 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay in London.

Fasel acquired Russian citizenship in 2023, and purchased a 54 per cent stake in Alma Holding, which produces apples.