The press service of the ministry said that the first matches of the new league kicked off yesterday and four teams are attending the event.

Head of new league and captain of team “Binokor” Alisher Azimov said that he visited Dubai and held meeting with hockey veterans of Canada. He said that he proposed them to visit Uzbekistan to hold master class and exhibition matches and they agreed. He noted that they can visit Uzbekistan in March 2013.

He said that UHL was crated and the first matches of new league were held on Monday. Currently, four teams are participating in the league – Binokor, Bars, Beliyi medvedi and Akuli. He said that the league matches will be played on Mondays and Tuesdays each week.

Alisher Azimov said that ice hockey is attracting more and more people, including diplomats, who played hockey in their childhood.

He said that the league is holding negotiations with possible sponsors on construction of new professional ice hockey stadium. He said new stadium will help to attract national teams of foreign countries.

Azimov stated that there are plans to create Asian Hockey League, and Uzbek team can play matches against Kuwait, Bahrain, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia. He said that they are supporting UHL and ready to arrive in Tashkent to hold special event dedicated to this occasion.