Milano Hockey Club announces the appointment of Viktor Szélig as Sport Director of the club.
Born in Dunaújváros, Hungary, on September 22, 1975, Szélig is a highly experienced sports executive who spent a decade at the helm of Fehérvár AV19 in the ICE Hockey League — a club that has reached the playoffs in each of the past six seasons.
As a player, Szélig made his debut with the Hungarian national team in 1992, at just 17 years of age, and wore the Magyar jersey for over two decades, taking part in 21 IIHF World Championship editions and eventually serving as captain. The highlight of his international career came in 2008, when he led Hungary to a historic promotion to the top division of the World Championship — the country's first appearance at the elite level since 1939. At club level, he spent 12 seasons with Dunaújváros in the Hungarian league, winning two national titles, before moving to France where he played eight seasons with the Diables Rouges de Briançon in the Ligue Magnus, which he won in 2012.
After retiring from playing in 2015, Szélig moved into management, taking on the role of General Manager of Fehérvár AV19 in 2016, a position he held through the end of last season. Under his leadership, the Hungarian club established itself as one of the league's benchmark organisations: consistent playoff appearances, a run to the ICEHL Final in the 2021-22 season, two qualifications to the Champions Hockey League, and — in his final season — a remarkable comeback from tenth place all the way to the league semifinals.
His contribution to the growth of international hockey was recognised in 2023 by the IIHF, which presented him with the Richard "Bibi" Torriani Award, an honour dedicated to individuals who have made a significant impact on the development of the game beyond the traditional hockey powerhouses.
"I am thrilled to get started," said Szélig. "The project is exciting and the team we are building will be competitive. I still have a vivid memory of the hundreds of red-and-blue fans in Székesfehérvár in 2005 for the Continental Cup — that was the Vipers era. Milan is a city with enormous potential for hockey."
