Hong Kong junior ice hockey team to be punished over brawl with Thai players at Bangkok match, sports body says
- Viral Twitter video shows about 30 players from Hong Kong and Thai men’s under-18 teams trading blows after match at overseas invitational tournament
- Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association says no one injured during incident, but players involved must ‘develop emotional management skills’ to avoid future brawls
Members of the Hong Kong men’s under-18 ice hockey team will face “punishment and warnings” after they clashed with their Thai counterparts at an overseas match, the city’s association for the sport has said.
A viral Twitter video shows about 30 players from both teams brawling with one another after wrapping up a match at an invitational tournament in Bangkok, despite referees’ best efforts to separate them.
“The Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association has always valued athletes’ discipline, and is currently looking into the incident with the tournament organiser,” the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association said on Saturday, two days after Thailand won against the city 3-0.
“Athletes involved in the incident from both sides will receive punishment and warnings.”
The association said no one was injured during the scuffle, but added that the players involved must “develop emotional management skills” to avoid future incidents.
A spokesman for the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee said it had become aware of the incident after the association issued its statement and was in contact with the ice hockey body.
