Hockey club from Uzbekistan can enter the KHL in 2022

A club from Uzbekistan may appear in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) after the 2022 Olympics. This was announced by vice-president of the league Vitaly Prokhorov, Sports.ru writes.

“So far, there are plans for the creation of a Supreme Hockey League (SHL) team in Uzbekistan. As planned, it will be included in the list of participants next season. The club needs to gain experience, and later, after the Beijing Olympics, it can join the KHL,” Prokhorov said.

According to him, there is a strategy for development of the KHL. Theoretically “Kunlun”, “Barys”, teams from Korea, Japan, China and Far East can play in the Central Asian division.

Earlier, the first deputy chairman of the Uzbekistan Hockey Federation Bakhodir Gafurov told Kun.uz that Tashkent will compete for the right to host the rendered KHL match.

“We will negotiate with the leadership of the KHL, so that in the next season, one or two rendered matches will be held in Uzbekistan. This will be a big event,” Gafurov said.

He also told Kun.uz that the federation will apply for membership in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) this year.

According to the IIHF rules, applications for membership in the organization are submitted before April 1, and the decision is made at the annual congress of the federation, which takes place during the World Cup. This year Slovakia hosts the world championship in May.

Official opening of the Uzbekistan Hockey Federation was held in March 2018. In February of this year, the first national hockey championship has kicked off in Tashkent. Four teams take part in the tournament: “Binokor”, “Tashkent”, “Humo” and “Semurg”.