Belarus President: Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament is now a good tradition

      The International Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament has become a good tradition and a true red-letter day. The statement was made by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the opening of the 9th International Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus.
     Alexander Lukashenko said he was sincerely thankful for the famous hockey players, prizewinners of Olympic Games and other international competitions, who had come from Austria, Germany, Canada, Russia, Slovakia, Czechia, and Switzerland to Minsk to participate in the tournament.
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       “They are our old friends. It is not the first year they have come for the tournament and they have arrived in Belarus without seeking to profit and without being instructed to come here for the sake of celebrating Christmas together and showing what real ice hockey is all about. Ice hockey fans will be able to see such great sportsmen as Vladimir Lutchenko, Vladimir Myshkin, and Valery Khomensky of Russia, famous European ice hockey players Konrad Dorn (Austria), Marian Smerciak (Slovakia), Stefan Herzog (Finland) and other ones.
       The tournament is not just a meeting of ice hockey fans but a sport celebration for a large number of people. Moreover, it is held in the days of school vacations and becomes attractive not only for kids but their parents, too. The celebration unites families and advocates a healthy lifestyle”.