MOSCOW, August 07. /ITAR-TASS/. The extension of the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is particularly important in view of the current global political situation, KHL President Alexander Medvedev said on Thursday.

An agreement to extend for one more year the Memorandum of Understanding, which stipulates respect for contracts of professional players from the both Leagues, was signed on Thursday prolonging it until June 30, 2015. The memorandum is primarily aimed at resolution of disputable situations in case of players’ transfer from the one league to the other.

“It is not a secret that the signing of first such agreement in 2011 was not easy,” Medvedev told an ITAR-TASS correspondent. “Annual prolongations of the memorandum were not smooth as well. I am not going to name the reasons behind as the most important thing is that the agreement was signed and in line with all rights and obligations, which KHL and NHL previously exercised.”

“The signing of the document is particularly important against the background of the current global political situation. It keeps the sport out of politics,” the KHL president said. “I only want to express hope that our foreign partners, who manage ice hockey in the United States, Canada and Europe, will maintain such approach in the future.”

The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is an International league, set up in March 2008 to promote the successful development of hockey in Russia and other countries in Europe and Asia. On March 27, 2008 the Hockey Federation of Russia (FHR) officially handed over all rights to stage the national championship to the KHL. The highest ranked Russian team will be proclaimed the Champion of Russia.

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America. It is headquartered in New York City and is composed of 30 member clubs: 23 in the United States and 7 in Canada.