Honorary President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), René Fasel, commented on the prospects of hockey development in Armenia during the ongoing Division IV World Championship in Yerevan.
According to Fasel, without active government involvement in supporting infrastructure and sports programs, hockey has no future in the country.
"Yes, I think without help from the government, hockey will not survive here. It’s the task of the National Olympic Committee together with the Ministry of Sport to focus on what matters for the youth of the country," Fasel noted.
He also emphasized that investing in the construction of ice arenas would benefit not only hockey but also other Olympic sports.
"If an ice arena is built, it can be used not only for hockey, but also for curling, short track, figure skating — for both men and women. These are investments into multi-purpose sports infrastructure," added the honorary president of the IIHF.
Fasel also highlighted the potential of curling, calling it “chess on ice,” and said that the World Curling Federation is ready to provide the necessary equipment for training.
"Even curling is essentially a mental sport. All it takes is wit and technique. Why not? I don’t know if Armenia has a curling team. If not — then it’s time to start one," he said.
Comparing the situation with other countries, Fasel noted that Switzerland, with a population of about eight million, has more than 200 ice arenas. For Yerevan, with a population of around two million, he believes at least 10–12 standard rinks are needed.
"There’s no need to build large arenas, standard-size rinks are enough. That will already create the conditions for systemic development of ice sports," he stressed.