YEREVAN, JUNE 25, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 22, Mikayel Ispirian, the Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, received David Balbirnie (Irland), the Secretary General of the European Hockey Federation. The Deputy Minister told the Secretary General about the hockey kind of sport registered in Armenia still in the 1-2nd centuries, the sizes of the playground and the rules of the game. He also mentioned the fact that Armenians are quick at acquiring skilfulness in hockey and added that Armenian teams have won prizes and cups in all-union championships, and Sos Hayrapetian from Yerevan was included in the world symbolic team as the best half-back of the world eight times. David Balbirnie mentioned that he is acquainted with Armenian hockey and its traditions to some extent and that he is eager to see the representative teams of Armenia in international tournaments. He also stated that the European Federation will send equipment and belongings to Armenia to contribute to the further development of this kind of sport.

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