A direct descendant of ice hockey, para ice hockey (formerly known as sledge hockey) was invented at a rehabilitation centre in Stockholm, Sweden.
During the early 1960’s a group of Swedes who, despite their physical impairment, wanted to continue playing hockey. The men modified a metal frame sleds with two regular-sized ice hockey skate blades that allowed the puck to pass underneath. Using round poles with bike handles for sticks, the men played without any goaltenders on frozen lakes south of Stockholm.
The sport caught on and by 1969, Stockholm had a five-team league that included members with a physically impairment and able-bodied players. (Just like in today’s domestic game).
That same year, Stockholm hosted the first international ice sledge hockey match between a local club team and one from Oslo, Norway. During the 1970’s, teams from these two countries played once or twice a year. Several other countries began to establish teams, including Great Britain (1981), Canada (1982), USA (1990), Estonia and Japan (1993).
Ice sledge hockey became an official event at the Lillehammer Paralympic Winter Games in 1994.
In the UK, the National Governing Body for the sport is the British Para Ice Hockey Association (BPIHA), which falls under the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA). There are currently 5 UK based teams, who compete in a league which runs during the ice hockey off-season, usually between late April and early September.
Members from each of these teams help make up the Great Britain national programmes.
Players with a classifiable disability are eligible to represent Great Britain at World Para Ice Hockey sanctioned events.
You can find out more about Para Ice Hockey in general at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) website.
Fast Facts
1. Para ice hockey was known as ice sledge hockey until its rebranded in 2016.
2. The sport made its Paralympic debut at the 1994 Paralympic Winter Games.
3. Sweden defeated Norway for the first Paralympic gold medal.
4. The USA is the most successful Paralympic team, taking five of the eight titles.
5. Para ice hockey was founded in the early 1960s in Sweden.
6. The first all-female Para ice hockey game was in 2007 in Ottawa, Ontario.
7. The first World Championships took place in 1996 in Nynashamn, Sweden.
8. Three female Para ice hockey players have competed at a Paralympic Games.
9. Green Bay, USA, hosted the first edition of the Women’s World Challenge in 2022.
10. The 2019 World Championships in Czech Republic, saw 64,748 spectators across the entire tournament.
Sheffield Steelkings Para Ice Hockey Club 