KUWAIT CITY, July 30 :The Olympic Council of Asia has announced the commencement of an Asian ice hockey training camp for youth under the age of 16 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The camp, which will run from tomorrow until August 7, will see the participation of 126 players, coaches, referees, and sports officials from 27 Asian countries, including Kuwait.

In a joint effort with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the Kuwait-based council aims to bolster the development of winter sports in the region, with a specific focus on ice hockey as a part of the Winter Olympic Games.

The initiative has garnered significant attention from game officials in numerous Asian countries where ice hockey is practiced. The primary objective is to promote and popularize winter sports across the continent while supporting players and other stakeholders in enhancing their technical prowess and skills.

Overseeing the program will be nine experts from the International Federation of Ice Hockey, led by the director of sports development within the federation. This Asian youth sports development camp is unique as it marks the first time such an event is being dedicated to a winter sport. In the past, these camps have covered various sports, with the previous edition focusing on diving, held in August of the previous year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Fahid Al-Ajmi, the head of the Kuwaiti Winter Games Club, expressed his delight in having representatives from the club, including players Abdullah Halaweh and Saja Al-Asfoor, coach Abdullah Al-Zaidan, wisdom Shouq Al-Hindal, and administrator Maryam Al-Khars participating in the program. The club is committed to engaging its members in such significant sports forums, as they contribute to the professional growth of players, coaches, referees, and administrative and technical personnel. Al-Ajmi also commended the Olympic Council of Asia for spearheading this important initiative.

Notably, the training camp will see the participation of young talents from a diverse range of Asian countries, including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, China, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan, along with Kuwait. The gathering promises to be an exciting and enriching experience for all involved as they come together to further the growth of ice hockey and winter sports on the continent (KUNA)