Tänään IIHF'n kokouksessa Provo'ssa Rene Fazell kertoi, että seuraavissa Olympialaisissa (2006), turnauksen säännöt ovat mahdollisesti muutettu. Se anataisi tasa-arvoa jokaiselle osallistuvalle joukkuelle. Kysymyksessä on Slovakian Jääkiekkoliiton valitus, jonka mukaan Slovakian joukkue on kärsinyt näissä kisoissa vain ja ainoastaan sen takia, että eivät kaikki heidän NHL-pelaajansa ovat päässeet mukaan. Slovakialaiset NHL-tähdet, kuten Bondra ja Satan eivät päässeet alkusarjojen otteluihin NHL-joukkueidensa takia.
msnbc.com:
msnbc.com:
INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY’S GOVERNING body will make a strong push to keep NHL players in the 2006 Olympics in Italy, despite complaints from Slovakia and Latvia that they couldn’t use all their best players in Salt Lake City.
With the number of Europeans in the NHL increasing annually, International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel said Tuesday it is especially important they get to play in an Olympics on their continent.
“I will do my best efforts, and I hope the players will help me push (NHL players union chief) Bob Goodenow to make it happen,” Fasel said. “We want to play in front of our people ... there is nothing like the Olympics.”
The NHL initially shut down for the 1998 Olympics, then agreed to do so again for Salt Lake City - but only if it took a 12-day break, rather than the 17 days for Nagano. The league felt that break was too long during one of the NHL’s peak drawing times.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has not yet committed to the 2006 Olympics, saying the league would first evaluate these Olympics before making any decision.
“We’ll go through the experience, and then afterward we’ll sit with the players association and reason together on what we want to do internationally. That’s how we’ve conducted our international events,” Bettman said.
The decision may not come until after the 2004 World Cup, or only two years before the next Olympics
“Our relationship with the NHL and NHLPA is not easy, I must say the truth, but they are fair to us,” Fasel said. “There are different cultures that we have - here it is culture more of business, and we have more of a culture of sport. But I hope we will have an exciting, magical tournament ... and then we will discuss what happens in 2006.”
There was controversy in Salt Lake City even before the final round when Slovakia was forced to change its lineup nightly to accommodate the NHL schedule. Slovakia was eliminated when it lost to Germany 3-0 and tied Latvia 6-6.
Also, Latvia was unhappy the NHL wouldn’t let goalie Arturs Irbe play against Slovakia, even though the Carolina Hurricanes had agreed to let him go. The NHL said it didn’t want to compromise the quality of play should Carolina goalie Tom Barrasso get hurt.
The NHL seemed to contradict itself by allowing Colorado to call up a minor leaguer so goalie David Aebischer could play for Switzerland throughout the preliminary round.
The NHL’s contract with the IIHF calls only for the league to make “its best efforts” to free up players for preliminary round games, IIHF general secretary Jan-Ake Edvinsson said. Fasel was pleased that 17 NHL players made it for the preliminary round.
“It (the Slovak shuttling system) just didn’t work,” Fasel said. “This is sad and tough and I’m sorry about that, but that’s part of the game. Hockey is a serious thing, and there are no easy games.”