IIHF President Luc Tardif has said the Association for the Development of Ice Hockey of Islamic Countries cannot be recognised as it is "based on religion" ©Getty Images

International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) President Luc Tardif has announced that it cannot recognise the Association for the Development of Ice Hockey of Islamic Countries because it is "based on religion".

A group of 13 countries plus the Republic of Tatarstan within Russia became founding members of the body earlier this month, with its aim to promote cooperation in the development of ice hockey between its members, including the organisation of joint sports tournaments and exchanging of experiences.

It is aimed at states where the leading religion is Islam, and seeks to popularise ice hockey in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The Association is hopeful that ice hockey could be added to the Islamic Solidarity Games programme.

French official Tardif said that the emphasis on religion in the Association meant it was unable to be recognised by the IIHF.

"According to its status and statute, the IIHF cannot recognize associations based on religion," he told Russia's official state news agency TASS.

The Association for the Development of Ice Hockey of Islamic Countries is based in the Russian city of Kazan, with the Republic of Tatarstan joining 13 countries as a founding member ©Getty Images
The Association for the Development of Ice Hockey of Islamic Countries is based in the Russian city of Kazan, with the Republic of Tatarstan joining 13 countries as a founding member ©Getty Images

The IIHF had earlier it does "not have a procedure for recognition" of "a federation that is made up of IIHF member or non-member ice hockey associations/federation".

Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan are the 13 countries who have joined the Association in addition to the Republic of Tatarstan.

The organisation is headquartered in Kazan and headed up by Russian businessman Nail Maganov, the chief executive of oil and gas company Tatneft who has been "identified for sanctioning" by the Ukrainian Government.

Maganov is the President of the Tatarstan Ice Hockey Federation and Kontinental Hockey League club Ak Bars Kazan.