Uzbekistan Field Hockey Federation Strengthens Cooperation with the Netherlands and Belgium

Uzbekistan Field Hockey Federation Strengthens Cooperation with the Netherlands and Belgium

From June 12 to 15, 2025, Chairman of the Uzbekistan Field Hockey Federation Avazjon Karimov and Secretary General Rustam Tashmuxamedov paid an official visit to the Netherlands, one of Europe’s leading countries in sports.

During the visit, the delegation held several important meetings focused on advanced practices in the sport, infrastructure development, and enhancing the qualifications of coaches and athletes. As part of the trip, Chairman Avazjon Karimov met with Hermes Kruis – a renowned specialist in field hockey, Director of the Johan Cruyff College, a member of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) committee, a member of the Education Committee of the European Hockey Association, and Chairman of the Deltalent Foundation.

The parties discussed organizing international training camps to improve the skills of Uzbek athletes and coaches, as well as the possibility of inviting experienced foreign coaches to Uzbekistan.

The delegation also held a meeting with Nathan Knipp, President of the Royal Dutch Hockey Federation. The discussion focused on strengthening bilateral sports relations, exchanging professional experience, introducing advanced sports infrastructure, and conducting joint training sessions. Additionally, the delegation met with Thomas Immink, Head Coach of the Netherlands national team. The meeting addressed the reforms, current achievements, and future plans in field hockey in both countries. The two sides exchanged views on the factors that contribute to successful participation of athletes in competitions.
The delegation members also took part in a training session of the Dutch national team, where they observed the team's operations and athlete preparation processes.

During the visit, the team’s tactical training, advanced training methodologies, and facilities provided for the athletes were presented.The official visit continued in Belgium, where Federation Chairman Avazjon Karimov met with Michel Kinnen, Head Coach of the Belgian national field hockey team. The discussion focused on expanding bilateral sports cooperation and exchanging experience through joint competitions and training sessions. The chairman also observed the training and match preparations of the Belgian national team firsthand.
These visits serve as an important step toward further developing field hockey in Uzbekistan, learning from international experiences, creating new opportunities for our athletes and coaches, and enhancing our country's reputation in the international sports arena.

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