Forget about the artificial pitch and hold the ice – sports lovers in the UAE are diving into action with hockey played under water.
The unconventional version of the game was developed in the 1950s by Britain's Royal Navy as a way to keep their divers fit and improve their ability to work under water.
The sport has always been rather niche, and although it is recognised by the International Olympic Committee, it is yet to join field and ice hockey at the global sporting event.
But it continues to grow in popularity – including in the Emirates.
Lewis Cocks, 31, a British citizen who lives in Abu Dhabi, began playing the sport while he was at university in Plymouth in the UK and admits it can be hard to picture for those who have not seen it.
“It’s a very fast-paced, intense, energetic sport. You play with a puck, which weighs two kilograms, and that sits on the bottom of the pool,” he said.
“You flick the puck, maybe a metre off the ground and it may travel two metres or three metres if you’re lucky.”
It is played by two teams of six people in a pool between two and four metres deep.
Players have to hold their breath for 10 to 30 seconds at a time and be sure not to come up for air too early, or too late.
They do that through a snorkel, and wear fins on their feet to propel them through the water.
Players say you need good stamina and free-diving skills to do well in the sport. But once you start you quickly improve.
Mr Cocks played regularly in the UK before moving to Saudi Arabia, where he lived for six years setting up aquariums for the ultra wealthy, including members of the royal family.
He now lives in Abu Dhabi, where he works as aquarium superviser at The National Aquarium, which is opening soon.
“After I came here I then find out a team in Dubai played it,” he said.
“I twisted my ankle playing football and I needed something a bit different to get active again, so I joined these guys in Dubai. I still had my gear with me all these years.
“And even though I hadn’t played in a long time I was still pretty good. I held my own against those guys. So I decided to start a team in Abu Dhabi.”
Abu Dhabi's Ducks take to water
At first they played in his compound pool, but it was badly lit and fairly unsuitable for the sport.
But in June his team, called the Abu Dhabi Ducks Underwater Hockey Club, managed to secure a slot at the Al Jazeera Diving and Swimming Centre.
It has since grown considerably, and the group now has two sessions a week and sponsors.
“Lewis asked me if I was interested in underwater hockey and my first answer was absolutely,” said Kathleen Russell, who owns Al Mahara Dive Centre, one of the club's sponsors.
“I said I am happy to do some sponsorship to get some team equipment, whatever it takes to get this off the ground.
“It’s a good team sport.”
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The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1
Alonso (62')
Huddersfield Town 1
Depoitre (50')
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Kibsons%20Cares
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Test series fixtures
(All matches start at 2pm UAE)
1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday
2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18
3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31
4th Test Manchester from August 4-8
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
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- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
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