Despite having two more years on his contract, Mair has left after falling out with the Italian Ice Sports Federation.

Mair's departure comes after Italy lost three matches against Kontinental Hockey League opposition.

They were beaten 3-2 by Avangard Omsk on July 29 and then lost twice to Vityaz Podolsk, 8-0 and 5-0 on July 31 and August 1 respectively.

The coach was also criticised after Italy lost all seven of their matches at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships in Paris and Cologne in May.

They collected just a single point for an overtime loss against Slovakia and were relegated to Division 1A.

Mair became Italy's head coach three years ago and took them up to elite World Championship level before their performance this year saw them demoted straight back at the earliest opportunity. 

A statement by the Italian Federation, printed by OA Sport, said: "The supposed criticisms that the coach claims to have received refers to an e-mail sent by the President in which, in anticipating the satisfaction of the team's behavior, highlighted the ideas to be considered in the future and to be discussed in the National Team Committees, of which Mair was part, for further improvement of the whole movement."