[ad_1]
Gamers wore masks in weird scenes within the girls’s ice hockey match on the Beijing Olympics
Russian and Canadian feminine ice hockey stars had been required to don medical masks throughout their recreation on the Winter Olympics in chaotic scenes in Beijing.
Gamers and officers took the measures after the match was initially delayed by a couple of hour, as Canadian gamers reportedly refused to take to the ice with out receiving the Covid take a look at outcomes from the Russian counterparts.
The sport solely began after the intervention of the Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC).
It was reported by Russia’s Match TV that the Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) had unilaterally altered Covid-19 rules, ordering gamers collaborating in morning matches to conduct testing at 5am.
In response to studies, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) workforce held testing three hours later after breakfast, and arrived on the area with out having paperwork confirming detrimental outcomes.
Each Group Canada and ROC will put on medical masks underneath hockey masks for this recreation. Yikes.
— Adam Frisk (@adamfrisk) February 7, 2022
Properly, that is the primary masked hockey recreation I’ve ever seen.
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) February 7, 2022
Canadian gamers reportedly staged a protest, threatening to boycott the sport and inflicting a severe delay.
In an obvious compromise, gamers and officers agreed to put on protecting medical masks on the ice.
“How did I really feel enjoying in a face masks? It was uncommon, however we have now to regulate to the necessities carried out by the organizers and play like we will. I’m grateful, we had been allowed to play in any case,” mentioned Russian ahead Alexandra Vafina.
Gamers had been allowed to take off their face masks solely within the third interval after the Russian workforce lastly acquired detrimental Covid take a look at outcomes – though the Canadian workforce stored their face coverings on.
Canada – who together with the US workforce are the favorites for the title – ended up successful the sport comfortably with a 6-1 scoreline.
However in an extra twist, quickly after the sport the ROC workforce’s head coach, Yevgeni Bobariko, mentioned that three members of his workforce – Victoria Kuleshova, Elena Dergacheva and Angelina Goncharenko, who did not play in opposition to Canada, had examined optimistic for Covid.
In response to the ROC, a Canadian participant had additionally been despatched again to the lodge previous to the sport after receiving a possible optimistic take a look at end result.
The ROC Twitter account described the scenes as “tragicomic.”
The ROC workforce’s preparations had already been thrown into chaos when six members of the squad examined optimistic forward of their first recreation final week in opposition to Switzerland, which the depleted workforce nonetheless went on to win 5-2.
The ROC has since misplaced to Group A rivals and defending champions the USA and now Canada, though all 5 Group A groups will qualify routinely for the quarterfinals as a consequence of their world rankings.
Monday’s scenes within the Chinese language capital observe comparable confusion on Sunday, when Australian roller Tahli Gill was allowed to compete regardless of a Covid-19 take a look at.
READ MORE:
Athlete will get to compete at Olympics regardless of optimistic Covid-19 take a look at
[ad_2]
Source link