NHLPA says lack of clarity on COVID-19 protocols leaves players uncertain about Winter Olympics participation
NHL Players’ Association CEO Don Fehr said the lack of “concrete answers” from the Beijing Organizing Committee on COVID-19 protocols, including quarantine logistics, had led to uncertainty from the players about participation in the Winter Olympics.
The NHL and NHLPA have been in joint negotiations to allow players to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Olympics, but COVID protocol concerns in Beijing, along with other political and safety considerations in China, have prompted participation in February of the following year is in doubt.
At Friday’s meeting of the Board of Governors in Manalapan, Florida, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said “ultimately it will have to be the players’ decision” on whether they play in the men’s world hockey tournament. Beijing Olympics or not.
Fehr said the decision was not entirely in the hands of the players. The NHL may withdraw from the Olympics if the schedule of the 2021-22 regular season affected by COVID is postponed and Olympic Time off is required to compete. There have only been five postponements so far.
But Fehr said COVID and the Beijing Olympics are “a flexible situation” that the players are watching. “We’re waiting for a lot of information from the IOC and China. We still don’t know what the COVID situation will be as we get closer,” Fehr told ESPN.
Bettman said the players are having second thoughts about playing in Beijing.
“We see that some players are also now expressing concerns and we’ll have to see how things play out,” he said.
Fehr said he’s not sure what Bettman is referring to, as the only public opt-out option so far is Vegas Golden Knights scorer Robin Lehner, who has said that he will not play for the Swedish national team.
“Definitely not a lot of players come out to the public,” Fehr said. “But I think it’s fair to say that the longer it drags on, where we don’t have a concrete answer to what happens there in an unfortunate situation, the more difficult it becomes.”
The IOC and the Beijing Olympic organizing committee are expected to send an updated athlete handbook detailing current COVID protocols. At the same time, there will be a call in the near future between the IOC, International Ice Hockey Federation, NHL and NHLPA regarding medical information regarding the Winter Olympics.
The NHLPA confirms a report from Chris Johnston of the Toronto Star that the IOC has made new COVID protocol information available to athletes. Any player with a confirmed positive test must present two negative tests 24 hours apart, or the quarantine period could be as long as 21 days to five weeks. Where that will take place, and whether there’s a chance a player could leave China instead of quarantine there, are among the issues the NHLPA is awaiting clarification on.
The quarantine period to test positive in Beijing – especially if a player has symptoms – is one of the biggest concerns for the players. Not only could they be stuck in China for an indefinite amount of time, but they could also suffer financially from missing matches and practice sessions after the NHL’s Olympic break.
As part of the agreement to attend the Olympics, “players who miss time due to COVID, related to the Olympics, will not be paid under the standard player contract,” said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. told ESPN.
The IIHF will provide a $5 million fund for any lost wages to players participating in Olympic or Olympic qualifying. But after that pool dries up, players could lose wages if they can’t play after the season restarts.
Fehr said it was “not clear” if that would be the last case.
“The NHL has insisted that they don’t think they’re necessarily obligated. We’re not sure we agree with that. But I certainly hope that never becomes an issue that needs to be resolved. determined,” he said.
Daly said the matter “has been agreed and resolved.”
For players who haven’t been to Beijing but have been anticipating a break during the season – scheduling family vacations and the like – there can still be an Olympic Vacation even without the Olympics. festival.
The NHL said on Friday that many of its arenas have booked events for halftime, despite suggestions that they remain open in the event players do not arrive in Beijing. There was speculation at the Board of Governors meeting that there could still be a break in the season even if the NHL doesn’t participate in the Olympics, due to stadium availability issues, but the date could be changed. Revision.
As for the final decision on Olympic participation, there is no deadline, though much focus has been on January 10, 2022. Daly said it was only a deadline for “financial rationality for the athletes.” costs at that time and time” if the NHL decides not to participate, but the decision to decline may be made after that date.
Fehr hopes clarity on January 10th. “I’d like to be able to say before that date. But even if it does, it depends nothing will change. [after that],” he said.
For now, a player’s decision to join depends on what they hear from the IOC about COVID protocols and whether the Beijing “bubble” and quarantine protocols if they test positive are worth meeting. trouble or not.
“I hope when clarity comes, it will resolve that uncertainty. And if not, then we’ll have to see what happens next,” Fehr said.
What’s next happening at this point, he said, is “a series of discussions that continue to take place with players who are expected to participate”, although he would not confirm whether there will be a dropout. official vote or not.
