HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong’s Sports Association and Olympic Committee said it welcomed a decision by the International Ice Hockey Federation to suspend four Turkmen athletes over what it called their “deliberate attack and injury” on Hong Kong athletes after an ice hockey match at the Asian Winter Games.
Three injured Hong Kong players were taken to hospital and were in stable condition with minor injuries, the association said on its website, following the altercation after the men’s ice hockey group C match between Hong Kong and Turkmenistan, without identifying any players.
The Hong Kong body said that it “welcomed the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) quick response and fair handling of the incident,” dealing immediate suspensions to the Turkmen athletes for the rest of the Winter Games.
“Regardless of the outcome of the game, athletes should not be subjected to violence, which is absolutely not what a civilised society wants to see,” it said in a statement.
The IIHF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Hong Kong’s sporting bodies said earlier on Monday they had sought disciplinary action by the International Ice Hockey Federation and Olympic Council of Asia.
Sunday’s incident, in which Turkmenistan’s Erkin Kakabayev, Arslan Geldimyradov and Begench Dovletmyradov attacked several Hong Kong players, lasted a couple of minutes before order was restored, the South China Morning Post newspaper said.
Footage of the event was also posted on X and other social media.
The Asian Winter Games is being held in China’s northeastern city of Harbin.
(Reporting by Farah Master; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Bernadette Baum)
