Some 100,000 people attended Lokomotiv farewell ceremony in Yaroslavl

Despite the incessant rain about 100,000 people came to the mourning ceremony at Yaroslavl’s Arena-2000 this morning to pay their last respects to the deceased players and members of staff hockey club Lokomotiv, according to Interfax.

The farewell ceremony was preceded by a funeral service held early in the morning at the Uspensky Cathedral, after which everyone had the opportunity to pay the last tribute to the team. Due to the large influx of people the ceremony lasted until 14.00 MSK – for about six hours instead of four as it had been planned earlier. Still, about 500 people failed to access the arena before it was closed.

The ceremony was also attended by Russia’s prime minister Vladimir Putin, KHL and FHR execurives, players and coaches of many other teams of the league.

Meanwhile, the opening game of the KHL season will be renamed in memory of the Yaroslavl club. Its former name – the Opening Cup – will be replaced from now on by the Lokomotiv Cup.

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