The official made the claim in a YouTube video posted on the organisation's channel, as reported by Russian state news agency TASS.

"We want Saint Petersburg to host the 2024 World Championships," Tretyak, who won three Olympic ice hockey gold medals for the Soviet Union, said.

The city has already hosted the International Ice Hockey Federation's flagship event twice - in 2000 and 2016.

The most recent edition was shared with Russian capital Moscow, with games at the Yubileyny Sports Palace.

However, the city's interest in playing host again comes at a time of heavy scrutiny on Russian winter sports due to the country's doping crisis.

The nation has already been ordered to compete under a neutral banner at next month's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

It is part of a collective punishment issued in response to a "systemic manipulation" of the anti-doping system at events including Russia's home Sochi 2014 Olympic Games.

In 2016, the IOC recommended that winter sports do not award their future events to Russia.

The World Championship will this year be hosted by Denmark in May.

Slovakia will play host in 2019 before Switzerland stages competition in 2020.

The 2021 tournament has been awarded to Belarus and Latvia while Finland will be the venue in 2022.