Kuwait congratulated Franz Reindl after his election as president of the International Ice Hockey Federation for the next four years, the Kuwait News Agency reported. Meshal Al-Ajmi, head of the Kuwaiti delegation to the IIHF Congress and development director at the Winter Games Club, conveyed the congratulations in a phone call with the agency on Friday. Al-Ajmi wished the new president success in advancing the sport of ice hockey globally and enhancing its worldwide profile. He invited Reindl along with other leading figures in the sport to attend the Division IV World Championship hosted by Kuwait next March so they could observe the substantial development of Kuwaiti ice hockey.
The vote occurred at the end of the IIHF annual congress hosted on the Spanish island of Tenerife, according to the Kuwait News Agency. The Associated Press reported that Reindl defeated Czech official Petr Bříza by a vote of 60 to 57 in a runoff after no candidate secured a majority in the first round. Reindl had trailed Bříza 48-36 initially but gained support once Kyrgyzstan’s Aivaz Omorkanov was eliminated from the contest. The election followed the decision by incumbent Luc Tardif not to seek another term.
Reindl, a 71-year-old German, played as a forward on the West German team that captured Olympic bronze in 1976, the Associated Press noted. He previously served as a candidate for the IIHF presidency five years ago and has maintained close ties to the NHL, including his role as president of Team Europe for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. His election marks the first time a German has held the IIHF presidency since the 1990s.
Al-Ajmi told the Kuwait News Agency that the invitation to the upcoming tournament reflects Kuwait’s commitment to international cooperation in winter sports. Kuwait previously hosted the Division IV World Championship in 2024 with notable success, leading to the renewal of hosting rights for the 2027 edition after the 2026 event was cancelled due to regional circumstances. The Kuwait Winter Games Club has prepared an ambitious program to ready the national team for strong performances in the competition featuring six participating nations.
Kuwait joined the IIHF in 2009 and has steadily built its ice hockey infrastructure despite limited facilities, with one indoor rink supporting the program’s growth. The national team, known as the Falcons, currently ranks 53rd in the IIHF world standings and has competed regularly in lower-division championships. Public Authority for Sport support has contributed to these advancements, enabling Kuwait to bid successfully for hosting duties and expand participation in the sport.
