Olympia 2022 without one of the most popular sports?

Tournament cancellation can no longer be ruled out

Created: 01/10/2022Updated: 01/10/2022, 10:17 AM

From: Alexander Kaindl

The Olympic ice hockey tournament is apparently on the brink.

© AFLO / Imago

The Olympic Games are a major career highlight for all participants.

In the meantime, however, it is possible that the ice hockey players in Beijing will have to pass.

Beijing - The Olympic Winter Games in Beijing begin in a few weeks.

From February 4th to 20th, the elite will fight for medals on snow and ice.

There are endless discussions beforehand, the focus is of course on China as the host country and the corona virus.

The latter could thwart some of the organizers' plans.

Because with the Omikron variant there is now a completely new dynamic.

Therefore, less than four weeks before the start of the games, a cancellation of the Olympic ice hockey tournament can no longer be completely ruled out.

A cancellation would be a disaster for players and fans.

Ice hockey tournament at Olympia before cancellation?

The situation is discussed

On Thursday (January 13th) the top of the world association IIHF will meet with the national associations and league representatives to discuss the current problems.

“There are still questions to be answered.

What happens, for example, if players become infected on site or on their return journey? ”Said Gernot Tripcke, the managing director of the German Ice Hockey League, the German Press Agency.

The problem is clear: League operations will of course be interrupted during the games, after which the DEL should continue.

In other sports you can see how quickly players can become infected.

You don't even have to look in the direction of football or handball, the DEL is currently itself badly shaken: After several corona outbreaks, there are currently four teams that are not able to play.

Olympia 2022: Ice hockey tournament on the brink - problems in many leagues

In view of the many catch-up games, designing the schedule is now getting tricky. However, unlike the NHL teams, the DEL clubs cannot refuse to allow players due to existing contracts. The North American professional league had also recently decided not to let its players travel to Beijing due to a number of corona cases and team quarantines. However, concerns are gradually growing in other leagues and associations as well. "The situation can change every day, that's the danger," said the President of the German Ice Hockey Federation, Franz Reindl, of the dpa.

Reindl also takes part in the meeting on Thursday as a member of the IIHF executive body.

“We don't think anything big is going to happen.

But it is important that you speak, ”said Reindl.

“You have to deal with it.” Ultimately, only the IOC could decide whether to forego ice hockey at these winter games.

Even if it is still unlikely, it is no longer considered impossible.

Reindl spoke of a "dynamic process".