\u201cHockey players have fire in their hearts and ice in their veins.\u201d <\/em>-Anonymous<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Taking quick glides across an ice rink, buckled in skates, carefully shuttling the puck across the rink, players are focused on just one thing… The goal!<\/p>\n
Nepal\u2019s dedication towards sport is not unknown to the world but when it comes to ice hockey, the rush is different!<\/p>\n
NIHA for Nepal Ice Hockey<\/strong>
\nNepal saw new hope for Ice hockey when the Nepal Ice Hockey Association <\/strong>(NIHA) was established in 2014. The federation was formed with the following goals in mind:<\/p>\n\n
- Preparing Ice Hockey players for international level<\/li>\n
- Conduct ice hockey tournaments and other games across the country<\/li>\n
- Preparing and creating ice hockey teams to represent Nepal for different categories and participation in international tournaments<\/li>\n
- Making contributions to the society and the world with Ice Hockey<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The first national team was formed in the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu<\/a> in the same year. Currently, the country has no indoor ice rinks but makes use of Lake Tilicho, which is frozen for about half a year, for skating and playing hockey. Kathmandu, Pokhara, Ilam and Kavree have four outdoor inline hockey rinks that serve the purpose, additionally.<\/p>\n
Things took a higher turn for Nepal Ice Hockey when NIHA became an associate member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 2016. It was a historic moment for Nepal!<\/p>\n
Nepal Ice Hockey President Lok Bahadur Shahi handed over a Khukuri knife to IIHF President Rene Fasel as a symbolic present.<\/p>\n
During his visit to the IIHF headquarters at Zurich, the NIHA President told IIHF.com, \u201cWith the support of the government and the IIHF, we are looking to build a new chapter in Nepalese sports<\/a> with ice hockey\u201d. Adding further he said that he hoped the first ice rink could be soon built in the capital Kathmandu for which the land had already been acquired. At the time, ice hockey could be played on natural ice only in winter months.<\/p>\n
NIHA continues to strive for higher standards of the sport and in its bid to do so, it takes up conducts a number of activities in terms of competitions and matches but more importantly takes up some serious initiatives.<\/p>\n
\nNepal Ice Hockey Video<\/h4>\n