KUWAIT CITY, Oct 23: The President of the Kuwaiti Winter Games Club, Fahid Al-Ajmi, proudly revealed that the International Ice Hockey Federation has selected two Kuwaiti referees, Abdullah Al-Zaidan and Shawq Al-Hindal, to officiate matches in the upcoming World Cup events.

Al-Zaidan will be presiding over the Men’s World Championship (third level), scheduled for Bosnia next February, while Al-Hindal will make history as the first Kuwaiti female referee to manage the Women’s World Championship matches set to take place in Hungary during the same month. This achievement signifies a significant milestone for the Kuwaiti ice hockey community.

Al-Ajmi shared these exciting developments while honoring several Kuwaiti male and female referees at the club’s headquarters. He emphasized that the selection of Al-Zaidan and Al-Hindal marks the beginning of an important journey towards seeing more Kuwaiti referees at international tournaments. He acknowledged the remarkable contributions made by Kuwaiti male and female referees to the sport, demonstrated through their exceptional performance in local matches.

Al-Ajmi expressed hopes that the two referees would uphold Kuwaiti sports’ honor on the global stage.
In response to this momentous opportunity, Al-Hindal expressed her deep pride in being the pioneer Kuwaiti female referee selected to oversee matches at this prestigious level. She vowed to dedicate her utmost efforts to prepare thoroughly and, in doing so, elevate the stature of Kuwaiti ice hockey in the world championship.

Al-Hindal further noted that her prior involvement in managing both men’s and women’s local league competitions had been instrumental in honing her skills and those of her colleagues, providing invaluable experiences in the game. She extended her heartfelt appreciation to the club for its consistent support of

Kuwaiti referees, facilitating their participation in domestic and international training programs, which have substantially enhanced the referees’ proficiency in the sport.