Turkmenistan
| Turkmenistan | |
 | |
| Continent | Asia |
| Population | 5,110,000 |
| Registered players | 182 |
| Referees | 0 |
| Rinks | 4 |
| National teams | Men's |
| National federation | National Center of Turkmenistan for Winter Sports |
| IIHF since | May 15, 2015 |
| IIHF ranking | N/A |
| Top league | Turkmenistan Championship |
| Current champion | Galkan HC |
Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia. Ashgabat is the capital and largest city. Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union until 1991.
Overview
National Teams
Domestic Teams
See Category:Ice hockey teams in Turkmenistan
Arenas
See Category:Arenas in Turkmenistan
Competitions
| Competition | Founded | Folded | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkmenistan Championship | 2013 | - | National championship |
History of hockey in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan has two ice rinks in Ashgabat, one with 1,000 seats (the National Olympic Sports Palace), and another with 10,000 seats (the Winter Sports Palace). The country has four rinks overall. Ashgabat hosted a tournament in October 2011, with club teams from Russia, Poland, and Slovenia participating. The driving force behind the development of hockey in Turkmenistan is current president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.[1]
The Turkmenistan National Team was formed in 2011 comprising players from four Ashgabat-based teams - Oguzkhan, Alp Arslan, Shir and Burgut. In 2013, the U20 national team of Turkmenistan played its first international match against Minsk City U13, which they won by a score of 7-2. Also Turkmenistan U15 played 2 matches against Minck City U13; 2-2 and 4-6.
The first domestic tournament was held in April 2012. Burgut of the State Committee for Tourism won the competition with Shir Oguz Khan and Alp Arslan finishing second and third, respectively. The President of Turkmenistan awarded the medals to the players himself.
Galkan HC won the first Hockey Cup of the Ministry of the Interior devoted to the Professional Day of workers of interior authorities in May 2013. Eight teams, divided into two groups, participated in the competition. Galkan defeated Shir in the final, 8-1.
The Cup of the President of Turkmenistan has been contested annually since 2013. It is an international tournament that has featured teams both from Turkmenistan and abroad; including clubs from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine, and national teams from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
The 2014 MIA Hockey Cup was contested by six Turkmen teams and won by HC Galkan over HC Nesil 5-1. The National Flag Day of Turkmenistan Cup was staged from February 10-14, 2015. It was won by Galkan HC, who defeated HC Nesil 8-5.
The national championship, comprised of eight clubs of various ministries, departments and institutions of Turkmenistan, was first contested during the 2013-14 season, and saw Galkan HC be crowned the first champion. They repeated as champions in 2015.
Turkmenistan became an IIHF member on May 15, 2015.[2] The National Center of Turkmenistan for Winter Sports is the governing body for ice hockey in the country.
