Ice sports diplomacy for Canberra

January 22, 2018

A new national ice sports centre in Canberra could play a role continuing the pathway towards a united Korean peninsula, according to the ACT Ice Sports Federation (ACTISF). 

ACTISF president Tony Prescott said today the federation would welcome hosting combined Korean ice sports teams in the nation's capital as a means of building goodwill through sports diplomacy following the announcement of a combined North and South Korean women’s ice hockey team.

 “We applaud the International Olympic Committee’s announcement  to combine the two Koreas’ women’s ice hockey teams – the first time ever – to compete in February’s Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang,” Prescott said.

“International sporting events are a powerful diplomatic tool for easing tensions between countries and building friendship among people. Sport, particularly the Olympics, has a rich history of bringing countries, who share little other than a passion for sport, together.” 

A new national ice sports centre could play a useful role hosting goodwill visits of teams from East Asia, North America and Europe, such as the multi-nation Friendship Hockey Games among Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA, a series hosted, on rotation, in Canberra on several occasions since the 1990s. 

“These are just the types of international ice sports event a new facility would aim to be staging on a regular basis, and of course we also have our own Canberra Pirates women’s ice hockey team,” Prescott said.  

“Australia has previously hosted both the South Korean and the DPRK (North Korean) men’s ice hockey teams in the World Championship (C Pool) staged in Sydney in 1989. 

“With the large South Korean community in Australia, the then-Blacktown ice rink was packed to the rafters for the game pitting the two Koreas against each other.

Organisers could have sold thousands of seats for that game, but unfortunately the rink only accommodated around 500 spectators. It was played in the spirit of sport and competition on the ice – as it should have been.

 “We’re quite serious about promoting international ice sports in Canberra, covering figure skating, ice hockey, broomball, speed skating and even possibly curling and sledge hockey, into the future.

 “There is an Australian ice speed skater competing in the Olympics who is of  Korean ancestry – Andy Jung –  who is making his Olympic debut in the green and gold in short-track speed skating and we wish him every success. 

ACT Ice Sports is eagerly anticipating a final national ice sports centre options report in the coming weeks, and it is expected this will lead to further detailed discussions with the ACT Government on next steps, including design, construction and location.

 “We continue to be optimistic about Chief Minister Andrew Barr's commitment to work in partnership with us towards building an ice sports facility of national and international standing, here in Canberra,” Prescott said. 

“Realistically, we think a timetable of consultation, planning and design in 2017-18, with construction in 201819, enabling an operational facility sometime in 2019, is achievable, and with the government’s support in progressing the options paper, we remain on track,” Prescott added.