Australia could have a sledge hockey team at the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing.
The country's Paralympic Committee (APC) is in the early stages of putting together a national team for the Winter Games' most popular sport.
They have their eyes on para-athletes from other sports, chiefly wheelchair rugby.
Australia received a grant from the International Paralympic Committee last year to buy 21 sleds and sticks and has since linked with ice hockey bodies to begin recruitment.
"We viewed para-ice hockey, I guess, as a winter version of wheelchair rugby," APC talent identification boss Tim Matthews said.
"We know how popular wheelchair rugby is and it's (sledge hockey) the only team sport at the Winter Paralympics other than curling.
"We think there is probably an appetite for people to get involved, particularly males who might have acquired their impairment through a car accident and things like that.
"(People who) probably enjoy crashing into things and crashing into other people. They might have played Aussie Rules, or rugby, some contact sport from an able-bodied perspective.
"But para-ice hockey provides that contact opportunity for them that they may not otherwise have since they acquired their impairment."
Like wheelchair rugby, sledge hockey players don't need to be unable to walk, but have to have an impairment in the lower part of their body that would prevent them from competing in able-bodied ice hockey.
Funding remains a hurdle as does Australia's lack of ice rinks, which can cost $300-400 a hour to hire.
Matthews suggested talent is unlikely to be a problem, but they would need to show their programs are serious to lure the best athletes.
"We certainly understand that there's not a bottomless pit of funds, but I'm pretty keen to get this sport moving in the right direction," he said.
"We've got a history of athletes transitioning from one sport to another.
"I think some of them want a more serious program. (If) that gets off the ground, some of them may look to transition from their current sports to participate solely in this sport if there's an opportunity to compete at an international level."
The door is ajar for Australia in Beijing.
"We will definitely have a national team in place there. Whether they're good enough to qualify for Beijing or not is another matter," Matthews said.
"Having a team doesn't guarantee you a spot in the Paralympics. They might be a year or two ahead of us in terms of getting some things off the ground."
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