Women's Hockey at the Olympics - Masks under Masks due to COVID-19 Concerns

Sports | February 7, 2022, Monday // 17:58|  views

ClubZ

The women's teams of Canada and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) played their match from the Beijing Olympics with medical masks under their hockey helmets. And during the match, there were contradictory events that shifted the focus from the game.

The North Americans won 6-1, which is not surprising, as the difference in classes between the two teams is still quite large.

Six Russian hockey players tested positive for COVID-19 last week and were isolated. On Sunday they tested negative, so they set themselves up to play the next day.

According to protocols of the International Federation, however, the whole team had to be tested again in the morning. Coach Evgeny Bobariko was quoted by world agencies as saying that this was a change that the ROC did not know about. They were also the only team tested for coronavirus in the morning and evening.

However, the new rehearsals did not come for the start of the match because the coaching staff of the “maple leaves” announced that until the testing is performed, they will not play. Even though they were already on the ice. The match was delayed by about an hour, but it still started, and it was decided that both teams would wear medical masks. Although it is not recommended to wear such a thing on one’s mouth for a long time during exercise.

Thus, two-thirds passed, and the results (negative) came during the second. The Russians took off their masks in the third, and the Canadians continued to play with their own.

“We wanted to make sure their tests came and it was safe to play,” said Canadian Natalie Spooner, quoted by the BBC. When this happened, we already felt calmer. Our coaches and the medical staff did not want to put us in a situation to play with fear. This has become an event that will obviously be talked about for a long time. We could say that we were at the COVID Olympics and we had to wear masks during the match.”

The ladies' maple leaves are four-time Olympic champions, having consistently won at least one medal since 1998, when women's hockey became an Olympic sport.

Russia's Anna Shibanova said she and her teammates had difficulty playing with masks:

“We weren't getting enough air.”

/ClubZ

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Tags: hockey, women, masks, covid, beijing olympics

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