Sport | Other Sports
UAE for Asian Games ice hockey
r the first time in their sporting history, the UAE will take part in the ice hockey event at the Winter Asian Games in China in 2007.
- By Sayed Ali, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 June 21, 2006
Dubai: For the first time in their sporting history, the UAE will take part in the ice hockey event at the Winter Asian Games in China in 2007.
This was decided at the last Planning Committee (PC) meeting of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the UAE.
The UAE ice hockey team will participate in the Winter Asian Games at Chang Chun in China from January 28-February 4.
The PC also decided to lift the ban imposed on the UAE basketball, handball and volleyball teams from participating in the Asian Games or Pan-Arab Games.
According to the PC decision, the UAE can now take part in these disciplines at the 15th Asian Games in Doha from November 28-December 15.
The ban was imposed on the three disciplines in 2002, following their poor performances at the 14th Asian Games in Busan in October 2002. They finished at the bottom of their respective groups and some of the players even fought with their teammates.
Following such misdemeanour, the NOC decided that none of these teams will be allowed to take part in any future events until they better their performances and prove their capability to produce good results.
Only recently, the three associations concerned (basketball, handball and volleyball) requested the NOC to allow them to participate in the Asian Games in Doha, as it will serve as a good preparatory tournament for the Gulf Cup, to be held in January 2007.
The Gulf Cup, which is primarily a football tournament, will also include basketball, handball and volleyball events, starting on January 17 in Abu Dhabi.
The PC has also agreed to the UAE's participation in the snooker event at the Doha Asian Games.
The PC assured that the main objective behind taking part in the Doha Games is to win medals and better the standard in some of the individual sports, which will in turn help the athletes make the cut for the 2008 Olympic Games.
The UAE ice hockey team will participate in the Winter Asian Games at Chang Chun in China from January 28-February 4 next year.
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