International Ice Hockey Federation selects Kuwaiti referee Abdulaziz Al-Khashan to manage the Junior World Championship

Kuwait – The Kuwait Winter Sports Club announced that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has selected Kuwaiti 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 told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Sunday 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. Al-Ajmi added that the selection is the result of the significant efforts made by Al-Khashan to enhance his technical skills and his participation in numerous refereeing courses organized by the IIHF with the club’s support, expressing confidence in his success in managing the tournament’s matches. He noted that Al-Khashan will also take part in a workshop hosted by the IIHF in Budapest, Hungary, on the sidelines of the latter’s hosting of the IIHF World U20 Championship Division I in December next, wishing him a high level of performance in the tournament and the opportunity to bring honor to Kuwaiti ice hockey. For his part, 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. He affirmed that he would prepare thoroughly for the tournament to ensure he enters it fully ready and presents a distinctive image of the sport’s development in Kuwait, extending his thanks to the management of the Kuwait Winter Sports Club for its continuous support of Kuwaiti referees and referee officials, which has enabled them to participate in several world championships. (End) S.A.D./H.A.