The Korea Ice Hockey Association announced today (the 26th) that it has successfully wrapped up the 2026 Hockey Together camp aimed at strengthening the capabilities of coaches from developing countries.
Held as part of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) program, this year’s camp brought together 31 coaches from 17 countries worldwide, including South Korea, Kenya, Qatar and Mexico.
On the Qatari side, with the support of the Qatar Olympic Committee and the Qatar Winter Sports Committee, this program was delivered by player Besan Yousef Abdelmagied Elwadiaand goaltender Shaikha Hussain S A Al-Shebani.
After completing theoretical education in Seoul from the 7th to the 13th, the participants moved to the Gangneung Hockey Centre and Pyeongchang Alpensia to undergo practical training and attend the closing ceremony under the guidance of professional instructors from the National Hockey League (NHL) and Finland.
The Ice Hockey Association stated, “This served as an opportunity to realize the value of sports ODA for developing countries while enhancing the international competitiveness of promising athletes through substantive exchanges with a strong European hockey nation.”
Besan Elwadiaand shared her comments about the trip:” The Hockey Together Camp in Korea was a valuable and inspiring experience. I really enjoyed seeing how ice hockey is developed at different levels and exploring new approaches to coaching, player development, and creating a positive environment for athletes. It was especially interesting to learn from coaches and participants from different backgrounds and exchange ideas that can be applied to the growth of hockey in Qatar.
I am very grateful to the Qatar Olympic Committee for providing me with this opportunity and for their continued support of sports development in Qatar. I look forward to sharing what I learned with our hockey community and using this experience to contribute to the continued development of ice hockey in Qatar.”
