By Nick Butler at the Main Press Centre in SochiFebruary 8  - Any political significance behind the choice of Irina Rodnina as Olympic flame lighter has been dismissed by Sochi 2014 organisers.

Rodnina, who lit the Flame along with ice hockey legend Vladislav Tretiak at the climax of the Ceremony

is led instead by three gay figures in  former tennis player Billie Jean King, two-time Olympic ice hockey

By Gary AndersonFebruary 8 - Bobsleigh's hope of being included on the programme for Pyeongchang 2018 have been dashed after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed new sports will not be considered.

added to the programme of sports for Rio 2016 and bids by other sports, such as badminton, handball, hockey

By Nick Butler at the Main Press Centre in SochiFebruary 8 - Sergej Gontcharov has been appointed chief executive of Lviv's bid for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games, insidethegames can reveal.

He has also been a member of the Event Committee of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF, and

served as chief executive of the successful campaign for Minsk to host the 2014 Ice Hockey World Championships.Given

Irina Rodnina, 64, and 61-year-old Vladislav Tretyak, ice hockey goal keeper for the legendary red machine

Canada have just started their quest for a fourth successive women's ice hockey title with a 5-0 thrashing

action is underwayIce hockey action is underway between Finland and United States ©Getty Images12:48

For an update of the week so far, see here Ice hockey blow for Finns9:37 Bad news for Finland's men

in ice hockey this morning after Mikko Koivu and and Valtteri Filppula were each ruled out of Sochi 2014

Koivu broke an ankle during a game with National Hockey League (NHL) side Minnesota Wild last month while

By Emily GoddardFebruary 7 - England Hockey has launched a search for the title sponsor of the 2015 EuroHockey

men's and top eight women's teams battle it out for the respective continental titles at the Lee Valley Hockey

Games this summer, the EuroHockey Championships provides another huge opportunity for international hockey

The 2015 EuroHockey Championships will be the biggest hockey event on British soil since the London 2012

where hockey matters"November 2013: England secure two more top hockey events at Queen Elizabeth Olympic

Park November 2013: England and India to host 2018 Hockey World Cup

By Gary AndersonFebruary 7 - International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) President Ary S. Graça gave a special guest lecture to students at the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) in an address designed to pass on knowledge and experience to future leaders of sport.

Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, European Olympic Committee (EOC) chief Pat Hickey, International Ice Hockey

By Nick Butler at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in SochiFebruary 7 – In front of a pulsated and captivated crowd, the Olympic Games were declared open here this evening in an Opening Ceremony illustrating the best of both sport and Russia.

The Flame was then handed to three-times ice hockey gold medallist Vladislav Tretiak and three-times

Gary AndersonFebruary 7 - With preparations well underway for Sochi 2014, the United States ice sledge hockey

story at [email protected] StoriesDecember 2013: America announce ice sledge hockey

squad for Sochi 2014October 2013: Tough task for defending ice sledge hockey champions at Sochi 2014September

2013: Gold medal winning US ice sledge hockey captain retains role for Sochi 2014April 2013: USA set

to face Canada for gold at IPC Sledge Hockey World ChampionshipsFebruary 2013: US Hockey confirm Sauer

By Nick Butler at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in SochiFebruary 7 – Sports minister Vitaly Mutko has effectively ruled out a Russian bid for the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Championships in fencing were awarded to Kazan for 2014 and Moscow for 2015.In 2016 Russia will host the Ice Hockey

Tretiak and Irina Rodnina lit the Olympic cauldron ©Getty Images22:56 Vladislav Tretiak, three-times ice hockey

United States ice hockey manager in hospital11:01 Meanwhile, general manager of the United States men's

ice hockey team David Poile, was taken to hospital last night after being struck by a puck during a

training session with his National Hockey League team, Nashville Predators. 

US hockey players shocked as President Putin drops in on themVladimir Putin surprised Team USA athletes

Getty Images19:36 Russian President Vladimir Putin has surprised a group of United States female ice hockey

"When we told him we played hockey, his eyes lit up."

player honouring Olympic gold medallist13:33 Sweden women's ice hockey goaltender Valentina Wallner

a plane crash that killed every member of his team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, of the Russian Kontinental Hockey

By Emily GoddardFebruary 5 - Some of Canada's greatest Winter Paralympic athletes, including the likes of seven-time cross country skiing champion Brian McKeever and Sonja Gaudet - the world's most decorated wheelchair curler, are set to feature in a special documentary to mark Sochi 2014.

and final episode, which will be broadcast on February 26 at 7pm ET, focuses on Canada's ice sledge hockey

By Gary AndersonFebruary 5 – With just over a month to go until the start of the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games, a new marketing campaign has been launched in Canada which highlights the skills and abilities of athletes rather than their disabilities.

to their sport.Vancouver 2010 Paralympian Mark Arendz, Para-snowboarder Michelle Salt and ice sledge hockey

determined and grateful nation".The cauldron was lit by the entire 1980 United States gold medal-winning ice hockey