Scottish Ice Hockey has started the process to separate from Ice Hockey UK and establish itself as a standalone association.

The proposal to create a new single UK governing body failed to receive the required level of support from members of the English Ice Hockey Association, thus triggering the move by SIH.

With unifying off the table for the foreseeable future, David Hand has confirmed that the wheels are now in motion for SIH to become a separate entity.

“While it was disappointing to see the outcome of the unification vote, we have to focus on the job at hand,” said the SIH chairman.

“We have already engaged in dialogue with our members who have made it clear about the route they now wish to take.

“Those discussions will continue as we strive to move forward and develop our sport during these testing times.

“We will now set a timeframe to establish SIH in its own right. We spoke with sportscotland on Tuesday, and they are allocating someone to work closely with us in the New Year.

“I’ve also reached out to the EIHA’s Andrew Miller to ask him to work with us to set up a new NGB in Scotland and would like to thank him for agreeing to help with this task.

“We have plenty of work to undertake over the coming weeks, but we are fully committed to taking SIH to where it needs to be.”

If anyone has any thoughts or questions relating to this process, please email faqs@siha-uk.co.uk.

(Image permission: David Strover)