Riha, who led the national team until the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was admitted to the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Prague on August 18 before his health is believed to have deteriorated sharply.

Details of his illness have yet to emerge, but the news of his death has rocked ice hockey in Czech Republic.

Riha’s son, Milos Jnr, who worked as an assistant to his father on the Czech national team last season, revealed the last month had been a "big struggle."

"I’m grateful to my whole family, and everyone who was with us and did everything they could for us," Milos Jnr told iSport.

"And, with all my heart, I’d like to thank my father for everything that he did for other people.

"I would like to ask everyone involved with hockey – fans and colleagues alike – to honour my dad’s memory and remember the best of him."

Czech Ice Hockey Association President Tomas Kral confirmed that he knew Riha was in hospital but said the news of his death "surprised and saddened us."

"Czech hockey has lost a very distinctive personality, a good player and a great coach," Kral said.

"He proved himself not just at home, but also abroad.

"We will honour his memory."

Robert Reichel, who won gold at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, was also an assist to Riha with the national team and described his death as a huge blow.

"We kept in touch and spoke regularly," Reichel said.

"I didn’t know all the details, but I always believed that Milos would overcome his health problems.

"His death has hit me hard. When somebody passes at just 61 years of age, it’s a real tragedy.

"We had two wonderful years working together.

"He was a good guy, always fair. He had so much charisma, he was so full of life. And he didn’t let anything get him down, that’s what I liked about him the most."

During his time as a player, Riha was known as a hard-working centre and won the Czechoslovak Extraliga in 1981 with Vitkovice of Ostrava.

He was selected by Minnesota in the 1983 NHL Draft but remained in his homeland where he went on to carve out a career as a coach.

Starting as a player-assistant coach in 1989, Riha helped SHK Hodonin gain promotion from the third tier.

After a spell as Zlin boss, Riha joined Pardubice where he was named Czech Extraliga Coach of the Year in 1996.

His first trophy came in 2002, winning the Slovak Championship with Slovan Bratislava, before repeating the achievement three years later.

He was also renowned as one of the most prominent coaches in Russia, coaching Spartak Moscow and Khimik Mytishi – a side he took to the Gagarin Cup final – before stints at Atlant, SKA St Petersburg and Avangard.

After re-joining Slovakian team Slovan Bratislava for the club’s final years in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, Riha moved away from club coaching in 2018 to take charge of the Czech national team.

At the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in Slovakia, his side came fourth, losing in a shoot-out against Russia in the bronze medal match.

Michal Repik, who played on that team as well as working with Riha at Slovan, added: "I have so many memories.

"Milos Riha was one of a kind and he truly loved hockey. He devoted his whole life to the game, as a player then as a coach.

 "If he didn’t truly love the sport, he would never have been at the top for so long."