Israeli Amputee Ice Hockey Debuts in Canada, Russia

As the Ice Hockey Federation of Israel continues its successful North American tour October 16-29, the organization introduced standing amputee ice hockey in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Members of the two-time world champion Canadian Amputee Ice Hockey team and one Israeli player, Vladimir Norman, combined forces to form a joint Israel-Canada amputee team to play a demonstration game October 23 against a team of able-bodied players in the Samuel Moskovitch Arena. The amputee team won 5:0 with three goals by Norman and two by Canadian player Samuel Laplante, age 14.

This event was made possible by the support of the Canadian Amputee Hockey Committee and Temple Israel, Sharon, Massachusetts. "The aim of this event is to give Israeli people with physical disabilities an opportunity to experience the sport of ice hockey," said Mark Pitkin, PhD, president of the International Standing Ice Hockey Federation (ISIHF).

"The Ice Hockey Federation of Israel and the Israeli Paralympic Committee, for the purpose of developing and providing sport and physical activity for persons with physical disabilities, have approved amputee hockey," Pitkin added.

Vladimir Norman, who has been practicing at the Canada Centre in Metula, Israel, will be playing on Team Europe against Team Russia November 23 in St. Petersburg, Russia, Pitkin said.

For more information please contact: in Israel Sergei Matin: sergeimatin@gmail.com; in US Mark Pitkin: mpitkin@tufts-nemc.org