The IOC offers the following Video News Release to all news agencies, broadcasters and online news platforms free of charge. One of the features of Singapore’s first-ever, three-member team at a Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG), in Lausanne, is a sole ice hockey player, who could only fulfill his Olympic dream due to another “first” at these YOG.  Matthew Hamnett is part of the new Mixed National Olympic Committee (NOC) 3x3 Ice Hockey event, which sees players from all different nations put together in teams to compete in a tournament. The 15-year-old is a member of the “Orange” team and his teammates come from Belarus, Mexico, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, Russia, Republic of Korea and Austria.  That might normally lead to issues with language, but Hamnett says that’s not a problem for him and his teammates. “Everyone understands our game plan, which is to just take shots because if you don’t shoot, you can’t score, and if you can’t score, you can’t win the game. If we want a pass, if we want the puck, we will call for it, tapping our sticks or just saying something to tell your teammates that you are open and you want the puck. So I don’t think the language barrier is much of an issue.” The mixed NOC events are unique to YOG - with both summer and winter editions of the Games giving athletes from smaller nations the opportunity to compete, even if they would not normally be able to send a full Olympic team. Hamnett carried the flag for Singapore at the opening ceremony at Lausanne 2020 and is embracing the whole experience, although he admits the competition is a step up from what he is used to.