The Sport Technical Committee for the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey will discuss at the meeting on Saturday and Sunday (October 15-16) suggestions to make the sport - which was founded in Sweden in the early 1960s - more popular around the world.

In 1981, Britain established their first sledge hockey team, and that was shortly followed by Canada in 1982.

It was not until 1990 that the United States developed their first ice sledge hockey team and sledge hockey continued to expand when Estonia and Japan developed their teams in 1993.

Since its debut at the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Paralympics when Sweden claimed the gold hockey, ice sledge hockey has grown in popularity becoming a fans’ favourite and is now played in 15 countries around the world.

For the first time in Vancouver earlier this year, women were allowed to compete in ice sledge hockey at the Paralympic Games with the US claiming the gold after beating Japan in the final.

In order to capitalise on the growing interest, the Sport Technical Committee, which is headed by chairman Keith Blase from America and which normally meets twice yearly to look after the coordination and direction of the sport, will explore how development, communications and marketing of the sport can be improved to further raise interest levels.

Several other topics will be discussed including the four year competition cycle plan and the Committee will also receive an update on preparations for next February’s IPC Ice Sledge Hockey European Championship which will take place in Sweden and feature 11 nations.