Ice Hockey in Kosovo

[Serhiy]

http://lh3.google.com/5164426/R7nABHmFzjI/AAAAAAAAAkc/81ZUKH-MDqQ/s144/Kosovo.jpg

At me it is some questions about ice-hockey in Kosovo.

There were in Kosovo ice skating rinks since times of Yugoslavia?
There are in Kosovo hockey clubs?
How in Kosovo concern winter kinds of sports?

[Drax]

There has never been ice hockey in former Yugoslav region of Kosovo.

[Shardik]

There has never been ice hockey in former Yugoslav region of Kosovo.
This is too bad since if they had a history with hockey, they would probably have pretty strong players scattered around Europe now. There is one Kosovo Albanian playing in Finnish national football team and a couple of others that are future prospects. Those prospects are now pondering if they should represent Kosovo instead of Finland. Probably there are some hockey players in Europe with Kosovo origins but without a national program they'll just keep playing in their new home countries...

[Aren]

Shefki Kuqi?

[tomstylee]

Yes... that Waste of space that played for my local team for two years!

It is a real shame though.

[Graham]

There is one Kosovo Albanian playing in Finnish national football team and a couple of others that are future prospects. Those prospects are now pondering if they should represent Kosovo instead of Finland. Probably there are some hockey players in Europe with Kosovo origins but without a national program they'll just keep playing in their new home countries...

But, football's eligibility rules are different to hockey's. If a hockey player was capable of representing both Kosovo and Finland, then they would need to play in Kosovo for 2-years if they haven't already played 2-years in Serbia. Not to say they haven't played in Serbia, but a lot of these players will have left Yugoslavia or Serbia and Montenegro during the civil war and so are likely to have only started playing hockey in their adopted home. Particularly so considering Kosovo has never had an ice rink.

Graham.

[Shardik]

But, football's eligibility rules are different to hockey's. If a hockey player was capable of representing both Kosovo and Finland, then they would need to play in Kosovo for 2-years if they haven't already played 2-years in Serbia. Not to say they haven't played in Serbia, but a lot of these players will have left Yugoslavia or Serbia and Montenegro during the civil war and so are likely to have only started playing hockey in their adopted home. Particularly so considering Kosovo has never had an ice rink.

Graham.
Yes, it is true that the rules are different. But I am wondering about this scenario. If a Kosovo born player with both Finnish and (now) Kosovoan citizenship wants to represent Kosovo in hockey but has only ever played in Finland. According to IIHF rules of course he is not eligible for Kosovo. But what if he relinguished his Finnish citizenship ? (probably possible?) Could he then represent Kosovo without ever playing there?

To Aren: Yes, Shefki Kuqi is one of them. Another is Perparim Hetemaj who hasn't played for national team yet. Also another young prospect whose name I forget was interviewed about this.

[jokke_wiberg]

i dont belive theres a slim to none chance for kosovo to get a ice rink and establish a hockey program in near future.
in sports, they could have make decent football, basketball and handball team and some fighting sports (like karate, judo, kick boxing ect.).

also, there could be problem with recognition with their state and allowing them to compete in international level.
in table-tennis and handball they are already competing while in some other sports there is a high risk games (serbia-kosovo, russia-kosovo)

p.s. all the best to the independent kosovo, that in few years we could see them in IIHF family

[Graham]

Rule 204 f):

"When a player has changed his citizenship or has acquired another citizenship and
wants to participate for the first time in an IIHF competition and represent his new
country he must (a) have an IIHF international transfer card that was approved and
dated by the IIHF at least two years before the start of the championship in which he
wishes to participate, and (b) he must prove that he has participated for at least two
consecutive years in the national competitions of his new country during which period
he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other
country."

So, still needs the 2 years.

Graham.

[Shardik]

Rule 204 f):

"When a player has changed his citizenship or has acquired another citizenship and
wants to participate for the first time in an IIHF competition and represent his new
country he must (a) have an IIHF international transfer card that was approved and
dated by the IIHF at least two years before the start of the championship in which he
wishes to participate, and (b) he must prove that he has participated for at least two
consecutive years in the national competitions of his new country during which period
he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other
country."

So, still needs the 2 years.

Graham.
The way I read this it doesn't answer my question. If a player was born in Kosovo, he got first his Yugoslavian/Serbian citizenship that is now understood Kosovoan. Then he moved to Finland and gained Finnish citizenship. This makes Finland the "new country". If the player then decides to drop the Finnish citizenship and go back to being only Kosovoan (and has not played for Finnish NT), can he just join the Kosovoan group without further ado? As a dual citizen he would need to do those two years but in this case he is a "single" citizen and has not changed his original citizenship at any point.

Hypothethical situation, I admit, but replace the countries with other ones and it could become possible.

[Shootmaster_44]

Rule 204 f):

"When a player has changed his citizenship or has acquired another citizenship and
wants to participate for the first time in an IIHF competition and represent his new
country he must (a) have an IIHF international transfer card that was approved and
dated by the IIHF at least two years before the start of the championship in which he
wishes to participate, and (b) he must prove that he has participated for at least two
consecutive years in the national competitions of his new country during which period
he has neither transferred to another country nor played ice hockey within any other
country."

So, still needs the 2 years.

Graham.

I realize this isn't exactly the point of the thread, but according to the IIHF what constitues the bolded part in North America? Does a player have to play in the NHL to be eligible for the Canadian/American senior team or does the AHL or other minor pro leagues count as a national competition?

[Marc]

All junior leagues and youth hockey leagues count as national competition. The point is that the federation gives you your license.