Parents of ice hockey players have submitted four demands to the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, urging swift resolution of the "rink versus association" conflict, fearing it could affect the World Championship.
A group of parents of U-18 ice hockey players submitted a letter with four demands to the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Director-General of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, urging them to quickly resolve the conflict between the ice rink owner and the association. They worry this dispute could impact the Women's U-18 Ice Hockey World Championship Division 3, which Thailand is hosting and is set to begin at the end of January.
Mr. Jumphon Krusakdapong, owner of the Thailand International Ice Hockey Arena, announced his separation from the Ice Hockey Association of Thailand following the conclusion of the 2025 SEA Games.
As a result, there is still no final decision on the venue for the Women's U-18 Ice Hockey World Championship Division 3, since the International Ice Hockey Federation has already confirmed the event will be held at the Thailand International Ice Hockey Arena.
The four demands from the group of parents of U-18 ice hockey players are as follows:
1. Thailand was honored to host the IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship Division III and had notified the International Ice Hockey Federation of the venue from the outset. Currently, a conflict has arisen between the agencies involved with the competition venue, concerning administrative and contractual issues unrelated to any actions by athletes, coaches, or parents. This conflict has directly affected the readiness to hold the event and poses a serious risk that the tournament may not proceed as scheduled.
2. The Thai Women's U-18 national team has been training continuously for a long time, physically, mentally, and academically, with significant costs and sacrifices from their families. If the competition cannot proceed, athletes may lose the opportunity to compete internationally and face potential sanctions or measures from international sports organizations in the future.
This situation impacts the mental well-being, rights, and sporting futures of youth athletes who are not involved in the dispute. The parents and athletes believe athletes should not bear the consequences of adult or organizational administrative conflicts.
3. Hosting an international event carries obligations that affect Thailand's credibility on the world stage. Failure to hold the competition could damage the country's reputation and future hosting opportunities, causing harm beyond the interests of any individual party.
4. For these reasons, the parents and athletes respectfully request the Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand to urgently consider protecting the rights and interests of youth athletes.
They ask that contractual and administrative disputes be separated from the competition process to prevent athletes from being affected.
They urge the Sports Authority of Thailand to exercise its authority to support holding the competition as planned or to find alternative solutions that do not harm the athletes or the country.
The parents and athletes affirm that they do not intend to accuse or blame any organization or individual but act solely to protect the rights, opportunities, and futures of Thai youth athletes and to safeguard the nation's interests.
The Women's U-18 Ice Hockey World Championship Division 3 tournament will take place from 29 January to 4 February 2026, featuring five teams: Thailand, Iran, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Lithuania.