YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The elimination games of the 3rd group of the world championship of hockey with puck started in the city of Dublin, Ireland, on April 15. The national team of Armenia was to also participate in the struggle of teams of 6 countries involved in the group, but they were not given possibility to participate in the tournament. As Karen Khachatrian, the Chairman of the Hockey Federation of Armenia informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, personal documents of all the members of the delegation were sent to Moscow, to the Embassy of Ireland a month ago for getting entrance visas. But, on the last day of the defined term the Embassy refused giving entrance visas of Ireland to Armenian hockey players. In K. Khachatrian's words, one of the Embassy officials explained that "they doubt that Armenian hockey players will return Armenia after the competition." K. Khachatrian also stated that he addressed a protest to the International Hockey Federation on the occasion of that issue.

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