"The FHR will appeal against the IIHF's decision. The verdict on appealing against the postponement of the World Championship will be in due time," said FHR first deputy director Alexander Kiknadze.

Boris Mikhailov, a double gold medallist with the legendary Soviet team in the seventies insisted the IIHF decision could have dangerous repercussions for the sport.

"Everything was heading towards this, if the International Ice Hockey Federation pursues such a policy, then soon, perhaps, hockey will fall apart," Mikhailov told Russia's official state news agency TASS.

Valeri Kamensky, part of the Soviet Union team that won gold at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, insisted European and World Hockey will only lose from what has happened."

The tournament was due to have been held in President Vladimir Putin’s home town of St Petersburg beginning on May 5 2023 but a decision on a new host will be made at the IIHF Congress during this year’s World Championships in Helsinki in late May.

The IIHF said the decision to remove the tournament was made because of concerns for the "safety and well-being of all participating players, officials, media and fans" and follows an earlier decision to strip Russia of the World Junior Championships.

Meanwhile, Russian State Duma Physical Culture and Sports Committee chairman Dmitry Svishchev has called for Russia to be compensated for the decision.

"Some International Federations have begun to play it safe and deprive Russia of competitions that will not take place soon," Svishchev said.

"Now we will have the opportunity to demand compensation from the IIHF for the cancellation of the tournament.

"Another thing is important. What will the IIHF do when the hysteria is over and they try to ask us to take the tournament back? 'Do we need it with such approaches?'

"Such short-sightedness raises doubts about the competence and impartiality of foreign sports officials."

Russia had previously hosted the World Championships on three occasions, most recently in 2016.

St Petersburg vice-Governor Boris Piotrovsky remained defiant in spite of the IIHF decision.

"As early as May next year, we will have the largest and most modern ice arena in the world, ready to host sports competitions of any level," Piotrovsky said.