Chinese Ice Hockey Seeks Assist for Beijing Winter Olympics

(ATR) Chinese ice hockey leaders are turning to the Czech Republic to help young players learn the game ahead of the Beijing 2022 Olympics.

The countries will cooperate with the organization of training camps, exchange of coaches and sharing concepts and strategy as outlined in a memorandum of understanding signed by the two hockey associations in May.

Martin Urban, secretary general of the Czech Republic ice hockey association, says there is untapped potential for the sport in China.

"One first goal is to have China succeed at the 2022 Olympics and the second goal is to help to develop hockey in China in general," Urban tells Around the Rings.

"The potential is on the Chinese themselves. It depends on how much time, money and effort they will invest in ice hockey, but I believe the 2022 Olympics will help a lot in this regard," he said.

China recently announced its "2022 China Ice Hockey Action Plan" – an effort to grow the sport and expand the number of both men's and women's teams playing in international leagues.

"The Chinese Ice Hockey Association will give its full support to Chinese clubs competing at the international level," said the federation's vice president Zhili Wang. "With China hosting the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, we want to offer a great event but also help develop winter sports including ice hockey."

Another primary goal of the agreement with the Czechs is to facilitate more Chinese children playing hockey, while assisting the development of the winter game in the Asian country.

"Sport connects people and in Asia there is great financial potential and also there are a lot of people," Urban said.

Additional objectives include the Czechs providing guidance in the establishment of an ice hockey school in Shanghai, assistance with camps for players of all ages in China, sharing ideas and knowledge related to sport science and potential collaboration with the organization of youth hockey tournaments.

Urban said the agreement must still be ratified by the Chinese and Czech Republic chambers of commerce and financial aspects need to be finalized.

The agreement specifically relates to the Czech club Liberec White Tigers and the China's Kunlun Red Star, which began playing in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) last year. Kunlun Red Star will also launch a new women’s hockey team next season; they will play in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League,one of the best leagues in the world.

The Czech Republic won ice hockey gold in Nagano 1998 led by stars Jaromir Jagr and Dominik Hasek and has been considered among the top international hockey nations ever since. However, the Czech national team has struggled at recent Olympics and world championships.

Urban pointed out that China is also discussing potential collaboration with other powers in the sport – Canada, Russia and the USA.

China is currently ranked 37th in the International Ice Hockey Federation world standings. But it is aiming to field a competitive team for its Olympic hockey tournament in 2022.

The women’s national team achieved fourth-place finishes at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and the world championships in 1994 and 1997, but has since dropped to 18th place in the world ranking.

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman has declared that elite NHL players will not skate at the PyeongChang2018 Games, however the situation for Beijing in 2022 remains undetermined. If there is any indication as to the direction the NHL wishes to take – teams from the North American league are scheduled to play exhibition games in China this fall.

Reported by Brian Pinelli

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