Six teams, all from places with no natual ice, opened the men's ice hockey tournament of the 6th Asian Winter Games here on Friday with both Arab countries won.

Thailand, which has only 40 players and the all-amateur team of Macao, China, both suffered loss while Malaysia beat a nervous Hong Kong, China.

The United Arab Emirates and Thailand were the first two on the stage. The UAE team won by 4-0 despite the early injury of their best player Juma Al Dhaheri.

Juma collided with Chartsuwan Tewin, No.5 of the Thailand team while the match was only played for one minute and 11 seconds. Juma was then stretchered out by medical personnel and sent to the hospital nearby. Fortunately, he was affirmed of minor problems with no fractures and was sent back. However, he was not likely to play the next one or two matches.

Although large part of UAE is desert, the rich west Asian country has many ice hockey rinks and the sport is popular there.

In contrast, the sport still has to worry about its survival in Thailand.

"There are altogether 40 players and just one rink in Thailand, and no teenagers play," said Rolanti Michanel who has coached the Thailand team for two months.

Macao and Hong Kong even don't have a standard rink.

"We have one rink in Macao, but the rink is available for us for half a year," said Chon Ka Miu, a sophomore from Jinan University in Guangzhou, after the team was smashed by Kuwait 15-2.

"During the other half, we have to train on a rink which is one third of a standard rink."

The Hong Kong team is even "poorer".

"We trained just one hour a week on a rink with one third of the normal size," said Kevin Ng Kaki, a police officer. "Although we are amateurs, we are eager to show the best of us."

The team suffered a 3-7 loss to Malaysia and some of the young players cried after the match.

The men's ice hockey competition, featuring 11 teams, was the first event to kick off at the 6th Asian Winter Games which officially opens on January 28.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2007)