Pavel Datsyuk will be the man to don the "C" for the Russian Olympic hockey team when they play on home ice in Sochi. Speaking with R-Sport on Wednesday, Russias head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said the coaching staff had decided on Datsyuk as the teams captain. "We have a candidate for the teams captain who was agreed upon unanimously by the coaching staff - it is Pavel Datsyuk." Datsyuk later confirmed the news via Twitter. "I am honoured to be named a captain. Our team embraces the opportunity and responsibility of representing our country on the home ice." The Red Wings forward - and alternate captain - has appeared in three previous Olympic Games for Russia, winning one medal - a bronze at Salt Lake City in 2002. The 35-year-old has 15 goals and 17 assists in 35 games with the Red Wings this season. Datsyuk will take the place of Aleksey Morozov, who captained the team in 2010 but was not named to the Sochi roster. Other candidates for the captaincy included Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Ilya Kovalchuk, formerly of the New Jersey Devils. Ovechkin had voiced support for Datsyuk as captain when the Olympic roster was announced. According to R-Sport, Kovalchuk did not believe the captaincy meant more than a letter. "A patch on your chest means nothing. To win at the Olympics, everyone in our team must be a captain." Datsyuk is the second Red Wing to be named a captain at the 2014 Games, Henrik Zetterberg was named captain of the Swedish team. Teammate Daniel Alfredsson will serve as one alternate while Vancouver Canucks captain Henrik Sedin will serve as the other. In total, ten Red Wings will travel to the Sochi Games. Tony Womack Jersey . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Stitched Diamondbacks Jerseys . Got Jacks? 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"I had a tough first opponent who can play extremely good tennis," Sharapova said.FIA race director Charlie Whiting has explained Lewis Hamilton was not punished for going off track at the Mexican GP because the Mercedes driver did not gain a lasting advantage. The decision not to penalise Hamilton at the start of the last race was challenged by Red Bull after Max Verstappen was hit by a five-second penalty for, like Hamilton, missing the circuits first corner.However, as Whiting revealed immediately after the race to Sky F1s Martin Brundle, data showed from Hamiltons car showed that the Mercedes driver immediately slowed upon returning to the track. Verstappen, on the other hand, was defending from Sebastian Vettel when he lost control of his Red Bull car under braking. Whitings explanation was provided in full during a captivating but highly unusual briefing at the end of the traditional pre-event drivers press conference for this weekends Brazilian GP when Whiting joined Hamilton, Vettel, Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo and Williams Felipe Massa to talk through the incidents.Hours after Whitings appearance, Ferrari announced they would appeal against Vettels demotion, stating that a number of new elements had come to light after the decision that make the decison reviewable. Its understood the appeal was lodged on Wednesday - the night before Whitings appearance. Vettel unhappy with his Mexico penaltyThe conference provided Vettel with his first public opportunity to discuss his penalty in Mexico after the Ferrari driver was stripped of his podium finish over three hours after the race had finished.In an incident which was analysed in depth by Whiting in front of the assembled media and the drivers, Vettel was found guilty of moving in the braking zone when trying to hold off Ricciardo on the penultimate lap of the race. Ironically, Vettel was one of the strongest advocates for the rules surrounding such manoeuvres being tightened up in the wake of sustained criticism of Verstappen for similar perceived offences.But Vettel remained adamant he had done nothing wrong.I dont agree with the decision made, said the Ferrari driver. I gave enough room on the inside, l kept the car straight for the majority of the braking and in my opinion Daniel locked up so badly because there was no grip on the inside. I think it looked worse than it actually was. Whiting accepts Vettel apologyWhiting was himself speaking publicly for the first time since Vettel launched a foul-mouthed outburst aimed directly at the FIA race director after the four-time world champion became exasperated with Verstappens refusal to yield.Its not the first time that bad language has been used and the fact it was directed at me was unfortunate, said Whiting. There were a number of mitigating factors which built up to Sebastians frustrations but the fact he sought me out to apologise...for me, that was enough. I am prepared just to forget it and move on.The FIA investigated the outburst but decided not to levy a further penalty against Vettel after the Ferrari driver wrote a letter of apology to the governing body. I am sorry for what l said, conceded Vettel. I regret what l said, I didnt mean it and I am happy Charlie has accepted the apology. Sebastian Vettel says he doesnt agree with his penalty in Mexico Versstappens lasting advantage or double standards?Vettel wasnt alone in expressing his unhappiness with the stewards post-race verdicts in Mexico.ddddddddddddAlong with Red Bull boss Christian Horner, Verstappen felt he had been the victim of double standards when he was demoted from third place for cutting the first corner following Hamiltons let-off.But according to Whiting, the telemetry from Hamiltons W07 showed the Mercedes driver had backed off to 80 per cent throttle between turns three and four to give back his advantage. Charlie Whiting joins the drivers press conference to explain the two incidents in Mexico where Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen missed the first corner Turning to the Verstappen incident, Whiting then added: If Max had done the same thing between turns three and four, he would have certainly have lost his place. So the stewards felt he deserved a penalty because he had gained a lasting advantage. Thats the fundamental difference.With Whiting sitting directly in front of him, Verstappen responded: Of course I dont agree with the decision. If you give penalties, give it to both or dont give any penalties. A second Verstappen rule in the future?But Verstappen also argued that a blanket ban on drivers leaving the track should be imposed to avoid similar future controversy.Maybe what we should change in the future is that once you go off you should be penalised instead of the stewards interfering and giving an opinion, said the Red Bull teenager.It would be good if we could somehow automatically get some sort of slowing down, agreed Mercedes Nico Rosberg. Sky F1 pundit Brundle argued along similar lines in his post-Mexico column for Sky Sports, writing: I have believed for many years that in those situations a driver should be made to go through a penalty box area at pit lane speed limit so that he takes some serious pain for his mistake.The Verstappen rule, which outlaws drivers moving in the braking zone, was also discussed at length with Whiting clarifying the circumstances under which a penalty would be imposed: Firstly, if a driver has to take avoiding action, if a driver makes an abnormal change of direction in the braking zone and if it is potentially dangerous to another driver. If those three conditions are satisfied then the stewards will feel a penalty should be applied.Such complexity is likely to confuse rather than excite Formula 1 fans. But as Whiting reflected, simplicity is never simple in F1.The whole sport has become more complex. There are continued requests to make things clearer, but the clearer things become the longer, and the more detailed, the rules.For example, all the rules around driving could be summed up in one sentence: drivers must drive safely.But when you have a simple rule like that, you are continually asked what does that exactly mean, can we do this? and can we do that?, and the rule becomes longer and longer…Can Nico Rosberg clinch the title at Interlagos? Watch the Brazilian GP live on Sky Sports F1 on Sunday, the race begins at 4pm; Watch the whole race weekend with a NOW TV week pass - &襛10.99, no contract Also See: The Formula 1 Gossip column Whens the Brazilian GP on Sky F1? Get a Sky Sports weekend pass Red Bull: Vettels demotion right ' ' '