The Portuguese Winter Sports Federation (FDIP) and the Royal Spanish Ice Hockey Federation signed on Saturday a cooperation agreement to organize the Iberian Hockey League.
“The highest federative institutions of Spain and Portugal for this sport, with the support of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), signed an agreement yesterday (Saturday), which begins with the participation of the Portuguese club Porto in the Spanish National Ice Hockey Championship. League. Hockey (LNHH),” can be read in the message published this Sunday.
According to the report, the signing of the agreement took place in Vilamoura, where the IIHF’s semi-annual congress is taking place this week, and was supported by its president Luc Tardif, with both federations expressing on paper their intention to develop active cooperation to promote and develop hockey in Spain and Portugal.
“The first phase of this agreement is already being implemented and involves the inclusion of the Portuguese club Porto in the official competition of the RFEDH: the National Hockey League (LNHH),” the statement said, adding that the Portuguese team had already competed in the RFEDH tournament. their first games in the eight-team competition.
The agreement also aims to allow both federations to consolidate their competitions and teams, creating in the short term the Iberian Hockey League with various clubs from Spain and Portugal, with Andorra as a possible third country to complete the picture.
“This agreement with FDI-Portugal is a big step towards the future of all ice sports that unite us. It is important to get the support of the IIHF for the possible creation of this cross-border league between Spain and Portugal and hopefully in the future also Andorra. We want to make our league more competitive so that other countries can send teams to our competition in the future. What this all comes down to is that we can increase the activity of our clubs and the members, with the help of the Portuguese federation, are working hand in hand to ensure that this project develops,” says Frank Gonzalez, president of the RFEDH, quoted in the note.
For his part, Pedro Flávio Martins, President of FDI-Portugal, also emphasizes the importance of this project.
“The relationship we are strengthening with RFEDH is very important to us as it gives us the opportunity to participate in the hockey league and compete in competitions that we currently do not have in Portugal. This connection with Spain that we have, “Developed over many years, it contributes to the development of sports in the Iberian Peninsula. We hope that in the future we will be able to organize more joint events with the aim of developing hockey and other ice sports in both countries” , – he said.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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