IIHF vice president hopes to promote ice hockey in China ahead of Beijing 2022

BEIJING - The "Experience Beijing" test event for ice hockey kicked off earlier this week with fewer than 100 days to go until the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

Aivaz Omorkanov, Regional Vice-President for Asia & Oceania of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), currently in Beijing to check on the event, voiced hopes that Beijing 2022 would promote the sport in China.

"The main purpose of the test event is to check the venues, to build good environment, to build good conditions for the players, for the game officials, for the staff, so the Winter Olympic Games will be in perfect condition," said Omorkanov on Tuesday in the Wukesong Sports Center, where the Olympic ice hockey games will take place in February.

"We can clearly see that in general everything is good, but there are some small areas that need to be improved."

Omorkanov is a former Kyrgyzstan international. He studied international economics and trade at the Beijing University of International Business and Economics in China, so Beijing is quite a familiar place for him.

"I studied in Beijing for almost seven years and I love China, I love Chinese people, I love Chinese culture and I'm so happy to be back," he said.

Omorkanov feels happy that China can host the test event.

"I hope that we will use the chance to promote the ice hockey game in China."

Four Beijing local teams are competing at the test event, and Omorkanov said he can see the development of junior ice hockey in China.

Currently, members of Chinese men's and women's national ice hockey teams are playing in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as part of the Kunlun Red Star club.

"Definitely it will help to promote and grow the game in China because Chinese people can see that there is ice hockey in a high level in the KHL league, and also in the women's league as well," Omorkanov said.

Omorkanov is confident that the test event can help preparation for the Games.