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Inline hockey will be included in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou and this is 'great news' for young fans of the game in Hong Kong, a sports official said.

Loran Mao, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Roller Sports, made the announcement at the YMCA Inline Hockey League annual awards dinner on Wednesday.

'It's great news for our sport and gives our young players a clear target to aim for,' Mao said.

Mao also confirmed that inline hockey will be included in the  mainland's National Sports Games (For Non-Olympic Sports)  next year.

This gives  an opportunity for the Hong Kong team to chase more glory following their silver-medal success at the Asian Roller Sports Championships in South Korea last month.

Mao first learned of the sport's inclusion in both Games at the General Assembly meeting of the Confederation of Asian Roller Sports in South Korea last month.

'The president of the Chinese Federation of Roller Sports, Guo Men, told us that the Olympic Committee of China has approved inline's inclusion in both Games,' Mao said.

'The Olympic Council of Asia must finally approve it, but that is a formality.'

Whether Hong Kong will send a team to the  National Games   is uncertain.

The Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China would first need to approve their participation.

The  National Games is only open to athletes who have Chinese parents or an SAR passport.

But the Hong Kong inline team has a strong case, Mao said.

'We won a silver medal in Korea and that is a very strong selling point to our federation to encourage them to send a team. We have had success at an international championship. That is very significant,' she added.

The 2007 Indoor Asian Games in Macau will also include inline hockey, an indication of the sport's increasing popularity  in the region.

But for inline hockey to be included in the 2010 Asian Games is a giant step forward because the event is the world's second-largest multi-sport extravaganza behind the Olympics.

Meanwhile, roller sports, including freestyle inline skating, inline hockey and speed skating, are in the frame to  replace an existing sport at  the 2012 Olympic Games.

On July 8 in Singapore, the International Olympic Committee will vote to decide which of the 28 sports currently included in the programme are dropped and which, if any, of the five contenders - roller sports,  squash, rugby, golf and karate - will replace them.



Big boost as inline hockey gets Games nod