Like most countries Algeria has been massively affected by covid-19, so naturally sport and ice hockey drop very low in peoples priorities. Right now as I write this Algeria is still locked down, borders closed and no sport being played at all. For us unfortunately it came at a pretty bad time as we’ve been making great progress only recently becoming members of the IIHF and starting a hockey school in Setif. Other than a few odd sessions we haven’t really been able to get the hockey school off the ground, and Algeria’s only rink remains closed for the foreseeable future. I have no doubt we will be able to restart it when things get back to normal but this could take a while in Algeria.

On the more positive side of things it’s given me a great opportunity to communicate with various people and organisations via things like zoom. I had a zoom meeting with the president of the IIHF prior to the virtual IIHF congress, which was my first and Algeria’s first congress since becoming members. I had a zoom call with the NHL regarding diversity. I had a zoom call with heads of the Arab hockey playing nations, with some really interesting developments and discussions, 2021 will really be interesting from that perspective, hockey in that region is definitely on the up and really pushing forward. I’ve exchanged some really interesting emails with other hockey federations discussing collaborations and potential games in 2021.

I’m optimistic. I don’t see much happening in 2020, but I’m expecting to come back bigger and better in 2021. I’m expecting an interesting tournament, some fun exhibition games and more development within Algeria than ever before.