The Somalia Men’s National Bandy team is heading to the Russian city of Ulyanovsk to participate…
The Somalia Men’s National Bandy team is heading to the Russian city of Ulyanovsk to participate in the 2016 World Bandy Championship for the third time in two years.
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice (unofficially known as Russian hockey), in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team’s goal. A number of 11 skaters are represented on the ground by each team.
The Somalia team is expected to arrive from Sweden on the 9th of February. In this championship, the Somali bandy team is in group B with Hungary, Germany, China, Czech Republic, Mongolia, Netherlands, Ukraine, Estonia and Japan.
The games will take place from 10th to 14th February.
It’s the 3rd Championship for young African team since the project was launched in 2013. The Somali hockey players on the ice were very popular among Russian spectators and international media.
The Somalia national Bandy team is dominated by Somali-Swedes who reside in the Swedish town of Borlange and also play for the local bandy club. They are coached by former Swedish international Per Fosshaug and financially supported by the municipal council of Borlange and Somalia Olympic Committee.
Somalia’s bandy national team became the first African team to participate in the competition in 2014 and made impressive performances in the competition though they were knocked out.
Anastasia Pi
from Ulyanovsk/Russia
Horseed Media
