New-look Singapore men's floorball team to compete in Bangkok
A new-look national men's floorball team set off yesterday for the inaugural Asia-Oceania Floorball Cup (AOFC) 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The tournament, which replaces the Asia Pacific Floorball Championships, will see eight teams from the Asia Oceania Floorball Confederation do battle from tomorrow to next Thursday.
Singapore, ranked 17th in the world, are the tournament's top seeds in a pool that also consists of China, India, Iran, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.
Gary Wong and Lee Renji, appointed captain and vice-captain respectively, will provide the experience in a 20-man squad comprising mostly fresh faces who were picked during selection trials in April.
They will be led by Finn Matt Joutsikoshi and Sonia Chia. The pair had worked together in last year's Asian Qualifying Championship.
Singapore will play their opening Group A game against Iran tomorrow, before taking on China on Sunday and the Philippines on Monday.
In a press release sent yesterday, the Singapore Floorball Association said that this is a chance for the team to gain exposure, and also to prepare for next February's qualifiers for the World Floorball Championships, which will be held in the Czech Republic in December next year.
The team will also enter the tournament on the back of a financial boost by local sports apparel brand Thorb.
Under an attire sponsorship deal worth about $28,000, the players will receive jerseys, training tees, shorts, socks and track suits.
The sponsorship will run until the end of next year.
The Asia-Oceania Floorball Cup for men is held in odd-numbered years and, for women, in even-numbered years.
For more information on the competition, visit www.facebook.com/IFF.Floorball
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