Ice hockey is a minor sport that is gaining popularity in United Arab Emirates.
His role was to strengthen the UAE ice hockey team and attract more business opportunities.
A new ice arena was expected to open in Abu Dhabi in 2019, designed to meet all the requirements of the KHL.
[7][further explanation needed] The plan was to replicate the recent success of an NHL team situated in the desert, Vegas Golden Knights.
NHL and KHL stars such as Pavel Datsyuk, Sergei Mozyakin, Alexander Ovechkin were discussed as possible additions to the league to increase competitiveness.