From 14 to 18 January, more than 300 athletes and functionaries from 13 countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will come together for the first hockey tournament for teams from Islamic countries and the Republic of Tatarstan.
Twelve men’s hockey teams from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, a combined team from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco, and a team from Tatarstan will be vying for victory in the international match.
Five women’s amateur teams from the UAE, Kuwait, Tatarstan, Oman and Bahrain will play in the match.
Tatarstan will be represented by the Ak Bars team and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan hockey team.
The decision to hold the tournament was taken during the international summit ‘Russia-Islamic World: KazanSummit 2022’.
The venues chosen for the event are the Kazan Sports Palace and Tatneft ice arenas.
The tournament is held to intensify intercultural dialogue, further develop and strengthen humanitarian relations and strengthen sporting ties between the Russian Federation and OIC countries.
Apart from the women’s and men’s ice hockey teams, the Presidents of the national federations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Indonesia, Turkey, Thailand, Qatar, Nepal, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia intend to visit the capital.
In addition, Kazan will host the I Summit Cup of the Islamic Hockey Association - Kazan Summit Cup 2023 Islamic World - the future of ice hockey, during which an agreement on the establishment of the Islamic Hockey Association and the election of its president will be signed.
The summit will also feature business sessions with representatives of the Republican Ice Hockey Federation, Ak Bars Academy and the Ak Bars Olympic Reserve Sports School, the Centre for Adaptive Sports Development of the Republic of Tatarstan, and hockey clubs of Tatarstan.
On 17 January, the concert hall of the Volga State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism will host an international hockey forum with representatives of the ice hockey federations of all participants in the tournament. On the same day, a gala match with the best players from each team will be held at Tatneft Arena.
Russian sports and pop stars will perform at the tournament’s closing ceremony.
Sport brings nations closer together and helps build partnerships between nations. The parties hope that this tournament will only be the beginning of long-term cooperation and will help develop men’s and women’s ice hockey in the Islamic world.
It is noteworthy that from 1 to 4 February 2023, the third annual inter-confessional Friendship Cup - Duslyk hockey tournament will be held on the initiative of the Kazan Diocese and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: phonoteka.org