Team seek cash stimulus

India’s men’s ice hockey team, preparing for the upcoming 2017 Challenge Cup of Asia Div-1 in Kuwait, have solicited funds to participate at the tournament, to be held from April 22 to 25.

The Ice Hockey Association of India said that it has accumulated expenses of around `26 lakh for training in Kyrgyzstan.

The team members have spent most of their personal funds on training so far. But just a week before the tournament, they are still short by `12 lakh to participate in the tournament, IHAI said.

The governing body said they don’t get funding from the government or infrastructural facilities.

The 22 members of the team invest their own money and also benefit from some meagre sponsorships.

The team notched up their first international win against Macau in 2012, in Dehradun and have been participating in the Challenge Cup of Asia since 2009.

IHAI general secretary Harjinder Singh believes participation is essential for the growth of the sport.

“Ice hockey being the fastest contact team sport, this Winter Olympic sport will soon become popular in India. What this sport needs is the attention of investors and it would be as popular in India, as NHL is in North America,” he said.

Singh said the team had been training for two weeks and are confident of their chances in the tournament, hoping the crowdfunding initiative would help raise the required funds.