INTERNATIONAL: The International Ice Hockey Federation says the host China will participate in the men's Olympic ice hockey event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics after having previously expressed concerns about the team's quality. As the host nation, China is guaranteed a spot in every event at the 2022 Games but the IIHF said in September that there were doubts over the Chinese team's participation due to its "insufficient sporting standard".
The IIHF said on Tuesday its council completed a two-day meeting in Zurich, where it discussed the status of the Chinese team and Olympic venue preparations among other topics ahead of the Feb. 4-20 Beijing Games. IIHF president Luc Tardif had said China's participation would hinge on player eligibility rules and the performance of the Kunlun Red Star, a China-based team stocked with Olympic hopefuls competing in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.
With Norway waiting in the wings to step in as a replacement, the Chinese Ice Hockey Association submitted up-to-date eligibility documents before the deadline which were then reviewed by the IIHF along with the expert evaluation report. China is in Group A along with nine-times gold medal winners Canada, twice champions United States and Germany.
Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has said on Tuesday it respected the United States' government decision for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in February over China's human rights record.
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams has said this is a political domain and they respect their right to take that political decision and them to respect the athlete's right to take part in the Games.
He says, "Clearly what we start by saying is of course that this is a political domain, it is a political decision, which we respect their right to take that decision. But what it also shows is that they respect the right of the athletes to take part in the Olympics Games and I think that's very important. And if you're talking about inclusively and universality, I think nothing better demonstrates that than the recent adoption at the UN of the truce resolution. 173 nations were co-signatories of the 193 countries. It was adopted by consensus and the wording - I won't go into the wording of that resolution - but the wording very clearly says how important the role of the Olympic Games is in building bridges and bringing countries together, recognised by consensus by the world, by the world's politicians.”
Meanwhile Adams defended the IOC's handling of the issue of Peng Shuai, the tennis player who alleged sexual assault against a leading Chinese Communist Party politician, and Samaranch there were no current circumstances under which the winter Olympics may be cancelled due to Covid.
