As Yaroslavl has been paying final tributes to its fallen hockey team, the club’s promoters have held a briefing after which it was officially announced that Lokomotiv will not participate in the upcoming KHL season.

On Saturday, the Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin, Yaroslavl Region Governor Sergey Vakhrukov and the club’s president Yury Yakovlev met in Yaroslavl to discuss the future of Lokomotiv.

“The main priority now is to take care of the relatives and to pay last tribute to the late players and staff. The other aim is to re-build a competitive team,” Yakovlev stressed, adding, “This will take some time as well as requiring human resources. But we are determined to resume participation in the KHL in 2012.”

Earlier it was reported more than 30 KHL players had already expressed a wish to join the new Lokomotiv.

Also, the KHL’s top executive, Russia’s legendary defender Vyacheslav Fetisov, confirmed on Thursday that renowned specialist Pyotr Vorobyev, who led the team to their first historic championship in 1997, has agreed to emerge at the helm of the new team. Until recently Vorobyev was responsible for Lokomotiv’s development club.

The KHL’s fourth season, the opening game of which was interrupted on Wednesday following the news of the tragedy, will resume on September 12.