Ball hockey or bandy is a sport, a collective winter ball game played on a rink. It probably evolved from field hockey. The first official ball hockey match was played by two London clubs in 1875. The first rules were drawn up in 1882.

The International Ice Hockey Federation was founded on February 12, 1955. The founding members were Finland, Norway and Sweden. The World Cup has been held regularly every two years since 1957.

In field hockey, two teams of eleven players compete against each other on a rink measuring 45-65 × 90-110 meters (a regular football field). In addition, each team has four substitutes, including one goalkeeper.

Players move on skates and try to drive the ball into the opponent’s goal with a special stick (hockey stick). By the way, goalkeepers do not use sticks. The ball has a diameter of exactly six centimeters, is made of plastic and is orange in color, so it is easy to see.

The duration of the game is 2 halves of 45 minutes each, in case of unfavorable weather conditions (low temperature or heavy snowfall), the game can be played in 3 halves of 30 minutes by the decision of the referees.

Ball hockey is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a winter sport, but is not included in the official program of the Winter Olympic Games.

Ice hockey – the most interesting facts

• Games on the ice of a frozen pond with sticks and a round object were popular in different European countries as early as the Middle Ages. Different nations had their own names for these games.
• It is said that the tsar, and later the emperor, Peter the Great, was a great fan of this game. From his trip to Europe at the end of the 18th century, he even brought back iron skates purchased in Holland. Peter the Great wore them on the ice. However, history is silent about the level of Peter’s skating and hockey stick skills.
• The British are known for their desire to give folk pastimes the status of official sports by developing uniform rules for this. Thanks to the British, the whole world began to play not only football and rugby, but also ball hockey. In 1891, the National Association of Ball Hockey Clubs was established in the UK. All teams that were members of this association had to adhere to the general rules of the game.
• The ball hockey stick is made of wood, it should not have metal parts. The length of the projectile on the outside is no more than 125 centimeters. The hook and handle of the stick are allowed to be wrapped with a belt or tape. The color of the wrap can be any color except red. The total weight of the projectile must not exceed 450 grams.
• For the manufacture of modern balls played by hockey players, cork chips are most often used, pressed into a hard ball covered with plastic on top. The ball has a rough surface, and when dropped from a height of 150 centimeters onto the ice, it should bounce 15-30 centimeters. The balls are painted in bright colors: red, orange, crimson. Thus, it is clearly visible on the ice. The speed of the ball can reach 150 kilometers per hour.
• The Ice Hockey World Championships have been held since 1957. Over 40 tournaments have been held since then.
• Despite the fact that hockey players from only four countries have been able to become world champions, the International Ice Hockey Federation unites 27 countries.
• In ball hockey, unlike ice hockey, goalkeepers play without sticks. In the forties of the last century, many athletes successfully combined the two sports.
• As mentioned above, a hockey match, like a football match, consists of two halves. Each half lasts 45 minutes. The break between halves is 15 minutes. However, athletes often have to play on open ice in severe cold. In this case, it is allowed to divide the match into three halves of 30 minutes each.