Former U.S. President Bill Clinton took the time to speak to Special Olympics athletes taking part in floor hockey divisioning competitions in Nagano, Japan, on 27 February. (Photo by Wataru Abe/PHOTO KISHIMOTO)
Floor hockey is a competitive, fast-paced sport, as shown in this match between Special Olympics Nippon (Japan) and Special Olympics Azerbaijan. (Photo by Wataru Abe/PHOTO KISHIMOTO)
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Former U.S. President Bill Clinton extended his stay in Asia and paid a surprise visit to Special Olympics athletes during divisioning competitions in floor hockey at the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games on 27 February. At White Ring in Nagano City, Clinton watched a portion of the game between Team USA and the Special Olympics Nippon (Japan) team. In fact, some of Team USA’s athletes and coaches are neighbors of his in Westchester, New York, USA.
Chief Referee Neal Johnson, who is also the President and CEO of Special Olympics New York (USA), gave Clinton a description of Special Olympics floor hockey, which is based on the sport of ice hockey. Clinton asked about some of the calls the referees made, including a goal that was waved off. He commented on the speed and agility of the athletes and said he was impressed with their shooting and stick handling. “This is really cool,” he said.
Floor hockey is the only team sport in Special Olympics Winter Sports. Unlike some other sports, such as Alpine or cross country skiing, Special Olympics floor hockey gives athletes who live in warm climates the opportunity to compete in Special Olympics winter sports. Floor hockey is played in a rink, but the surface is made of wood or concrete, not ice. The teams are composed of six players, including a goalie. The athletes use wooden poles (without blades) as the sticks and the pucks are large felt discs with an open center. There are floor hockey teams from more than 45 countries in the 2005 World Winter Games
Clinton made a point of shaking athletes’ hands and talking with them, giving athletes bragging rights for both competing in World Games and having their picture taken with the former President.
Clinton had been on a tour of Southeast Asia with former President George Herbert Walker Bush, visiting Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, some of the countries hit hardest by the earthquake and tsunami in late December 2004. Clinton and Bush praised the work of aid groups and called for donor to keep giving to aid ongoing relief. The two former U.S. Presidents were asked by the current President Bush, the elder Bush's son, to lead the U.S. effort to provide private aid to the hundreds of thousands of tsunami victims. In addition, Clinton was appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as his special envoy for the tsunami-affected countries.
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