SAPPORO, Japan – 45 years ago Bob Nadin for the first time worked at an IIHF tournament when he officiated seven games at the 1972 Olympic Winter Games in Sapporo. Now things have turned full circle as the Canadian is working games in Sapporo at the 2017 Asian Winter Games as a Referee Supervisor where he mentors Asian on-ice officials at the multi-sport event and passes on his experience.

To celebrate the international anniversary, Nadin was invited to a Japanese tea ceremony on Wednesday morning before the games where IIHF President René Fasel surprised him with a special ring to honour his commitment spanning over five decades.

Like many Canadians Nadin was playing hockey as a kid but his love for being a referee was bigger so that he started officiating games at the University of Toronto when he was 17. He worked his way up as a referee in Canada and earned international assignments. The 1972 Olympics became the highlight of his career on the ice.

Later he worked as a Referee Supervisor not only for the IIHF but also for other organizations including the NHL. He was also a member of the IIHF Officiating Committee for many years. In 2007 Nadin got the Paul Loicq Award for his outstanding contribution to international ice hockey.

In Sapporo Nadin works in the men’s top-division tournament, one of four ice hockey competitions at the 2017 Asian Winter Games, that includes Kazakhstan, Japan, Korea and China. This tournament takes place at the Tsukisamu Gymnasium that was opened for the 1972 Olympic ice hockey tournament, exactly the same venue where he was on the ice as a referee 45 years ago, and has also been used for other IIHF events.

MARTIN MERK