The 66-year-old Swiss, a dentist by trade, who has led the IIHF since 1994, is the only candidate in an election due to take place during the body's Congress in Moscow on May 19.

He believes that the rising power and fitness of professional players is adding to the risk of injury, suggesting that stronger punishments may be necessary to change the culture of the game.

“I think ice hockey is getting so much faster, so a top priority is therefore the health and safety of players," he told insidethegames.

"We have some challenges with concussion and severe injury so we have to protect the players.

"This can be done, first of all, through the rules, to change the behaviour of players and make them show more respect.

"There should be severe sanctions if you cross the line - three games, 10 games or 20 games suspensions plus financial punishments.

"We will always have injuries but we have to avoid people targeting other people just to take them out of the game."

Fasel and the IIHF have long been outspoken about eradicating fighting and violent play from the sport following rising numbers of concussion cases in recent years.

He insists that all head-hits must be eradicated, although this view is not universal, with a clarification to the National Hockey League (NHL) Rule 48 introduced for the 2010-2011 season outlawing only "avoidable" hits.

The NHL also penalises players for just five minutes for fighting, with this resulting in ejection for the rest of the game in international ice hockey.

Authorities are clamping down across the board, however, with San Jose Sharks player Raffi Torres handed a 41-game ban in 2015 after an illegal hit on the Anaheim Ducks' Jakob Silfverberg in a pre-season encounter.

“There is a long way to go," Fasel admitted.

"We have to start with coaches and young players and to train them as to how best to act.

"There can be no clean hit to the head.

"Even if it is an accident, people have to be more careful.

"Players are better trained, bigger and faster, but they have to know that if they act in a certain way, it will severely injure others.

"This is a top priority for next four years."

Fasel, speaking ahead of the World Championships due to open in Russia on Friday (May 6), also cited increasing good governance within the IIHF as a key priority, as well retaining autonomy over rival club leagues in Europe.

A more specific immediate aim, however, concerns ensuring that NHL players will be present at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

Read Fasel's full exclusive interview with insidethegames here.