MINSK, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation on Tuesday appointed Mikhail Zakharov as head coach of the country's national ice hockey team.

The federation signed a two-year contract with the 57-year-old Zakharov who previously took the helm of Belarus' youth and junior teams.

Zakharov also coached the national team to 2004 and 2005 World Championship, 2005 Olympic Qualification, and 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and was three times named as the best ice hockey coach of Belarus.

Belarus and Latvia will host 2019 World Ice Hockey Championship.