Russian hockey club suspended from participation in the Asian league

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, Aug 3 The Sakhalin team was suspended from participation in tournament of the Asian Hockey League (AHL) of the 2022-2023 season due to the political situation, the team's press service reports. Sakhalin was created on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of 2013. This is the only Russian participant in the AHL. At various times, clubs from Japan, South Korea and China competed for the tournament awards. Sakhalin won the title of AHL champion in the 2018/2019 season, several times took second and third places in the regular season. «On August 2, 2022, a meeting of the Asian Hockey League was held via videoconference. Following the meeting, the leadership of the league, in agreement with the teams, a decision was made to remove Sakhalin athletes from participation in the 2022/23 season tournament with the wording «due to the political situation,» the statement said.