China cleared to play in men’s hockey at Beijing Olympics following fears of defeat on home ground
- The IIHF had mulled pulling the Chinese team from the 2022 Winter Games amid concerns it would be embarrassed on home ice against NHL-level competition
- The decision avoids what would have been an unprecedented removal of a host country’s squad for performance reasons
China will take part in the men’s hockey tournament at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing after initial concerns that the team would be embarrassed on home ice against NHL-level competition.
The International Ice Hockey Federation confirmed China’s participation on Tuesday, avoiding what would have been an unprecedented removal of a host country’s team for performance reasons. The IIHF spent recent weeks reviewing players’ eligibility to represent China.
Players making up the Chinese national team played two recent test games against Russian opponents with international officials watching closely. The team, playing as Kontinental Hockey League club Kunlun Red Star, lost 4-1 to Avangard Omsk and 5-4 in overtime to Amur Khabarovsk, getting outshot 77-43 in the two games combined.
Kunlun coach Ivano Zanatta said the games were evidence his team meets Olympic standards.
“Definitely not second to a Norway or a Denmark or Latvia. We’re equal to those countries,” Zanatta said then. “Today and the last game they proved they have the character and the ability and they have the right to participate in their own Olympics.”
The IIHF agreed, even though Kunlun has lost 29 of 36 KHL games this season and China is ranked 32nd in the world.
