Russian President Vladimir Putin may put off playing hockey for the foreseeable future after he took an embarrassing spill during an exhibition match last Friday.
During a friendly game at the Bolshoi Ice Arena in Sochi, Russia last week, Putin was playing an exhibition match with members of the amateur Night Hockey League, which includes several other aging Russian star players. The game went well, with Putin's team handily dispatching their competitors 14-7.
However, a moment that should have been triumphant, quickly turned to humiliation. Video showed the 66-year-old Putin proudly waving to the crowd as he and his team skated around the ice celebrating victory - that is, until the Russian president unknowingly skated over a piece of red carpet causing him to faceplant onto the ice.
Two of the president's teammates can be seen attempting to rush in and prevent the Russian president from falling, but they were too late. Putin managed to break his fall using both arms and didn't appear to suffer any injuries. He was back up within seconds, grinning and waving back at the crowd, until exiting the rink.
Putin has participated in a number of public appearances that try to show off his athletic ability. He's previously been seen diving to the bottom of the Black Sea to inspect shipwrecks, working out with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and even riding a horse while bare-chested.
Putin's puck-handling skills helped him score eight goals according to reporters at the game - however the Kremlin reported Putin scored nine goals and the Tass agency said the Russian president scored 10.