Al-Khashan referee at the World U18 Ice Hockey Championship

The Kuwait Winter Sports Club announced that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has selected referee Abdulaziz Al-Khashan to officiate at the IIHF World U18 Championship Division II Group A, scheduled to be held in Croatia next April.

Club president Fahad Al-Ajmi said that Al-Khashan’s anticipated participation in this major tournament underscores Kuwait’s presence in international sporting arenas for the sport and reflects the progress of Kuwaiti refereeing standards in ice hockey. He added that the selection is the result of the significant efforts made by referee Al-Khashan to enhance his technical skills and his participation in numerous refereeing courses organized by the international federation with the club’s support, expressing confidence in his success in managing the tournament matches.

Al-Ajmi noted that Al-Khashan will take part in a workshop hosted by the international federation in Budapest, Hungary, on the sidelines of the latter’s hosting of the IIHF World U20 Championship Division I in December next year, wishing him a high level of performance in the tournament and the opportunity to bring honor to Kuwaiti ice hockey.

For his part, referee Al-Khashan told KUNA that his participation in managing the tournament represents an important milestone in his refereeing career, particularly as it features strong national teams including Great Britain, Romania, China, Japan, and South Korea, in addition to the host nation, Croatia.

Al-Khashan affirmed that he would ensure thorough preparation for the tournament to enter it fully ready and present a positive image of the sport’s development in the country, extending his thanks to the management of the Kuwait Winter Sports Club for its continuous support of referees and referee officials, which has enabled them to participate in several international tournaments.