NHL
players unlikely to pay to play at Winter Games
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[October 28, 2016]
(Reuters) - National Hockey
League (NHL) players would love to take part in the 2018 Winter
Olympics but are unlikely to shoulder the burden of paying their own
travel costs, NHL players' association executive Mathieu Schneider
has said.
The participation of the NHL players in Pyeongchang has been thrown
into doubt after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it
would no longer cover insurance and travel costs, which have been
widely estimated at around $10 million.
"I understand from the IOC's perspective that they don't want to pay
players to come," Schneider was quoted as saying by Yonhap News.
"But at the same time, players don't necessarily want to pay to come
to the Olympics as well.
"It's certainly not something that can't be overcome. We're
optimistic that it will all work out in the end. Players love
playing in the Olympics. That's why we've participated in the last
five Olympics."
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Discussions over player participation hit a another roadblock last
month after NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the chances of
the league shutting down to allow players to compete at the Olympics
in the middle of the season were "dim".
Schneider, a former Stanley Cup champion, admitted that NHL players
who decide to take part in the Winter Games will likely need to push
their fitness levels to its limits.
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Rogers Communications Inc President and CEO Guy Laurence walks by a
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"It's the level of competition that is one step above what you see
in the NHL on a night-to-night basis, because it's the top players
from around the world," he added.
"After the Olympic Games are over, to go back and start again at a
very high level of competition at the most important time of the
season going into the playoffs, it's very challenging from the point
of view."
A decision on player participation is expected before the end of
this year.
(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru, editing by Nick
Mulvenney)
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