NHL participation in Olympics in doubt, IIHF president says
René Fasel says 'prognosis is not really good' for new deal
The National Hockey League's 18-year relationship with the Winter Olympics may be in jeopardy.
International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president René Fasel told sports site insidethegames that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would not pay for travel and insurance for NHL players at the upcoming 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
"Our wish is to have the best players, [but the IOC] not covering the cost as they did at the last five Olympic Games puts us in a difficult financial situation," said Fasel, who has been president of the IIHF since 1994.
Fasel, who spoke to reporter Nick Butler at the 2016 SportAccord Convention in Lausanne, Switzerland, said that a recent meeting with the league left him doubtful.
"The prognosis is not really good," Fasel said.
According to Fasel, the IOC has helped cover the costs of travel and insurance since the beginning of the NHL's participation in the Games in 1998 in Nagano, Japan.
In 2014, IOC gave NHL/NHLPA $14M for transport & insurance. IIHF kicked in further $18M. IIHF estimates lower insurance/travel bill for '18
—@rwestheadThe league's focus on the resurrection of the World Cup of Hockey is an important factor to consider as well. During meetings between the NHL and IIHF in November 2014, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman referenced "open issues" regarding participation in the 2018 Games.
However, Bettman later said that the two tournaments remain separate concerns for the league.
"I don't think one has anything to do with the other," Bettman said in September 2015.
The World Cup of Hockey returns in September with the eight-team tournament to be played in Toronto. The NHL and IIHF will jointly oversee the event.
With files from the Associated Press and Canadian Press