The key facts

  • The annual tournament in Hong Kong brought together players from Asian countries; a match lasts 30 minutes, with six players per team and no goalkeepers.
  • Underwater hockey (formerly 'octopush') was invented in England in 1954; it is recognized by the IOC and debuted at the Southeast Asian Games in 2019.
  • Many participants are preparing for the elite world championship in France in April, with around 20 countries expected; organizers dream of the Olympics.

Tournament Underwater

Hong Kong hosted its annual underwater hockey tournament over the past weekend, which organizers had beforehand dubbed 'physical hell'. Despite the fearsome name, it attracted many devoted athletes from Asian countries. Players in snorkeling masks and fins with short curved sticks dive and somersault, battling for a weighted puck at the bottom of the pool. The sport has been compared to 'voluntary drowning'.

Rules of the Game

Each team has six players, with no goalkeepers. Referees monitor for violations and send players to the penalty bench for serious rule infractions. A match lasts 30 minutes and is divided into two halves with a three-minute break. Players surface for air only when truly necessary, keeping their heads underwater to follow the game.

Words from Participants

Leo Lines, a Japanese-New Zealander athlete from Hokkaido, told AFP that one has to choose when to spend breath and when not to: a player with the puck always has 'a certain level of suffering', and he likes it. Rita Friske, a Polish scientist from Hong Kong, noted that in the drive to score you forget about holding your breath and the difficulty. Malaysian player Hui Chin Teo compared the sport to a 'sadistic experiment' that forces everyone to survive together and bonds them for a long time.

History and Recognition

Underwater hockey, formerly known as 'octopush', was invented in England in 1954 as a way for divers to stay fit during the winter off-season months. Although it is not yet an Olympic sport, it is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and debuted at the Southeast Asian Games in 2019.

The Future of the Sport

Head coach and tournament director Novi Ignacio noted that thanks to social media, underwater hockey has become more visible: previously people learned about it only by word of mouth, but now competitions are even broadcast live. Organizers hope that with the development of underwater cameras, the spectator experience will also improve. Many participants of the Hong Kong tournament are aiming for the elite world championship in France in April, where, according to organizers' expectations, around 20 countries will come. 'People are starting to understand what underwater hockey is. The dream is the Olympics,' Ignacio said.