While not frequent in the NHL, cheerleaders are common in Russia's KHL. Almost every squad has girls in provocative clothes who dance and cheer between periods. However, Ak Bars in Kazan is dumping their dancing females for an unexpected cause.
"In total, the Bars Angels support group consisted of 20 girls, there were different lineups. When we told them about the decision, of course, the girls were upset. But we will meet with them again and present them with valuable gifts," said the team in a news release.
Rigina Barieva was the head of Ak Bars cheerleaders before this decision was made. She had decided to leave the team and head to Moscow, but was asked to appoint a replacement before she left. She said she did that, but later received a call from the team stating the cheerleaders were getting the hook.
'We conferred and adopted a new concept in the club. It is focused on the fact that married couples go to hockey, so that men come with their wives and children," Barieva says she was told by Ak Bars.
"The arguments in the conversation were that supposedly other people's wives do not react very well to beautiful girls. Therefore, the club decided to abandon the services of the support group altogether."
