In an ugly scene from the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China Turkmenistan ice hockey team physically attacked Hong Kong players following their 5-1 victory. The visual of the incident has surfaced online which shows Turkmenistan players Erkin Kakabayev, Arslan Geldimyradov, and Begench Dovletmyradov launched an unprovoked attack on Hong Kong team members.
According to South China Morning Post report, the game itself was intense and physical, with both teams accumulating a total of one hour in penalties for infractions such as tripping, slashing, elbowing, and unsportsmanlike conduct. Despite the provocation, no Hong Kong players retaliated.
Match officials issued five-minute major penalties and 20-minute game misconduct penalties to the three Turkmenistan players involved. Notably, Kakabayev had already served an in-game penalty for slashing, while Dovletmyradov had been penalized earlier for elbowing.
Tensions finally erupted during the traditional postgame handshake. Although no Hong Kong players sustained severe injuries, two individuals were taken to the hospital for medical evaluation.
Hong Kong officials have called for disciplinary action
Following the episode, Hong Kong officials have called for disciplinary measures. In an official statement, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC) strongly condemned the violent incident.
Hong Kong delegation head Ho Kit-fung has formally contacted the International Ice Hockey Federation and the Olympic Council of Asia, urging the Games’ organizing committee to impose appropriate penalties.
The SF&OC commended the team for demonstrating restraint and embodying the Olympic spirit in the face of hostility. The SF&OC denounced the attack as a deliberate act of aggression and called for disciplinary action against the offending players.
Hong Kong will return to the ice on Monday for their next match against Kyrgyzstan in the quarter-finals ranking round.
