Beijing 2022: growing doubts over NHL stars’ inclusion at Winter Olympics amid sexual assault case, Peng Shuai saga and Covid-19, insiders say
- Source with knowledge of situation says NHL players may now not feature in the men’s ice hockey competition at the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing
- Their participation is said to be on shaky ground with the league reportedly on high alert because of the sexual assault cases and pandemic restrictions
NHL players fought for inclusion in the Olympics in their latest collective bargaining agreement but uncertainty is growing on whether they will actually head to Beijing in February for the 2022 Winter Games, according to a source based in China with knowledge of the matter.
In October, the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks organisation was rocked by a lawsuit filed by a former player, who alleged that he and another player were sexually assaulted by a former video coach in 2010.
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In addition, according to the source, China’s continued “elusive ambition to maintain a zero Covid policy”, including restrictive measures and lockdowns to curb a relatively small number of cases has also caused concern for the NHL, whose players will be heading inside a closed loop for the Olympics.
“The NHLPA [players’ association] has been quite quiet lately, so you wonder if they might be renegotiating all of this right now behind closed doors,” the source said.
“There is a real general paranoia [around Covid-19 in China] and on top of all of this is just a lack of transparency around everything.”
Sportsnet NHL journalist Elliotte Friedman, widely regarded as one of the league’s top insider pundits, echoed the same sentiments in a recent blog post about the issue.
“It’s now a daily question: ‘What are you hearing about the Olympics?’ The answer: more and more concern. There’s the Covid issue and the moral dilemma, as the women’s tennis tour remains unconvinced about Peng Shuai’s safety.”
