MfD: Czech Christians establish ice hockey league

Prague, March 1 (CTK) - Czech Christians have established their own amateur competition, called the Christian Amateur Ice Hockey League (KAHL), daily Mlada fronta Dnes (MfD) writes Friday.

The players pray before a match, repeating the "seven commandments" of their ice hockey game, MfD writes.

Never make a foul. Pass the puck to the weaker player. Never insult anyone, these are three of the "commandments" of the new league, MfD writes.

The KAHL has a fan in the person of East Bohemian Hradec Kralove Bishop Jan Vokal who has donated the Bishop Cup to the players. The cup is dubbed the Vokal Cup, it adds.

The players have a written ethical code, MfD writes.

However, ice hockey is a tough sport and emotions may prevail over the respect to the code, it adds.

"There has never been any problem with its observance," Catholic priest Tomas Petracek, a player for the HC Salas Hradec Kralove, is quoted as saying.

The biblical rule Love thy neighbour is doubly true on the ice, MfD writes.

More skilled ice hockey players should not use their abilities only to their own benefit, but pass the puck to the less able, it adds.

Petracek only speaks about one violation of the seven ice hockey commandments. One of the players fouled another one, he adds.

However, vulgar statements are absolutely taboo for KAHL players.

Before a match, many KAHL players pray not only for their own team, but also for their good performance, MfD writes.

"There are many among us who observe the ritual regularly," Petracek is quoted as saying.

There is also the habit that the home team gives the guests original gifts with a reference to the name of the team and town for which they play, MfD writes.

After a match, the two teams' players meet and settle any problem that may have arisen during it, it adds.

The KAHL wants to be a mass affair. Now it wants to spread from eastern to central Bohemia, MfD writes.